Lluís Miquel Laso Roig – Finca Museum Winery

Lluís Miquel Laso Roig, Technical Director of Finca Museum Winery

In this interview, Lluís Miquel Laso Roig, Technical Director of Finca Museum Winery, shares his love for the industry.

What do you do?

I am the Technical Director of Finca Museum. I work in vineyard management and winemaking, as well as managing the team’s motivation to make the best wine possible.

How did you get into the industry?

I became interested in this world through a friend who had a wine shop. I started my studies, and I couldn’t stop. I got hooked. I started my career in Germany, and then I finally came back to Spain after gaining some experience in Mendoza and California.

Share with us a story from behind the scenes.

There are many stories behind the scenes, but the moment of blending is probably one of the moments that I use my intuition the most, and that requires the most concentration. Although in terms of scenes, the most fun ones are during the harvests, that’s a moment I love. It’s the moment when the whole team works together the most.

What food memory from your childhood or travels stands out?

My mother’s family are bakers and pastry chefs. I spent my childhood eating bread and pastries. Therefore, those are my best food memories.

What’s the best/ worst part of your job?

Every time of the year in our work, there is constant change and diversity. It is very important to maintain motivation and restlessness. But the best thing is to have good travelling companions, and I am not lacking in this. The worst thing is perhaps the bureaucracy associated with my job.

What’s one of your favourite food and beverage pairings?

It’s hard to choose, but perhaps a good Emrich-schönleber riesling with lobster rice or a good foie with tokaji… although a good Iberian ham with bread and tomato and a Jacques Selosse is not out of the question either!

What’s one of the most exciting things you’ve seen behind the scenes?

The grape harvest provides all kinds of situations. For me, it is the best time of the year, undoubtedly the most exciting. One harvest, due to weather conditions, I was working from 6:00 in the morning until 12:00 pm the following day. I spent practically two days working non-stop (without sleeping!) since it was raining, and we had to harvest at night without stopping to save the harvest. The result was worth it.

The perfect day off would be …

Getting up early and enjoying my backyard.

A day in the life of Lluís Miquel Laso Roig is…

I get up at 5:15 in the morning to go to Finca Museum. When arriving, I always stop by the vineyard to check it out. Afterwards, I talk to Javier, the vineyard manager, to organise the day. Later on, I talk to the laboratory, winery and production managers to discuss the planning, and once the wheel is in motion I start my own planning, which is usually very diverse.

What does Lluís Miquel Laso Roig do for fun?

Enjoy the intimacy of my family while travelling or at home.

What’s something you’d like guests to know about Finca Museum winery?

We are located in a small but vibrant appellation in Spain: Cigales. There are roughly 1900ha, and we own more than 200ha, making us one of the largest vineyard owners. We started the project in Cigales because we fell in love with its old vineyards and their amazing capacity to produce aged reds with elegance, complexity and extraordinary concentration, as well as the region’s classic rosés, which have minerality and character. Not to mention the landscapes of Cigales! We are the Spanish version of Chateauneuf du Pape with our bush vines and rocky soils. It’s really a fascinating DO!

Secondly, it is important to show our commitment to sustainability and respect for the vineyard and its environment. We believe in organic viticulture, and we focus our work on motivating our team in this management, both for the vineyard and, subsequently, for the wine.

How have you grown in your profession? What are your key learnings from your start in the industry until now? Any misconceptions?

I had the good fortune to have Joan Milà as my oenology teacher. He was the person who taught me the gifts of this profession, which are feelings hard to put into words.

I also believe that travelling is very important to get to know new things and, above all, it’s key to have good colleagues who always contribute to the knowledge.

The key learnings are seen over time, but my initiation in Germany was key in my professional education, and then my passage through different areas of Spain was fundamental to becoming who I am. You have to work hard; nothing comes for free.

What do you want people to know about being a winemaker as a profession?

All the learning is very important, but this is a profession in which experience gives you intuition, and that is a differentiating factor. Although it has to be said that you have to be willing to live for it as there are high demands, but I enjoy it very much.

What’s your view on the wine industry in Cigales?

We are in one of the smallest appellations in Spain. It is very difficult to compete with the big areas. Still, the important thing is to look for identity and personality. We are convinced of the potential of the Cigales vineyards. Although most wineries are small and mostly dedicated to rosé, red wine has fantastic potential and a long way to go.

What practices do you currently implement or hope to implement to work towards social responsibility and sustainability in the future?

The winery has a great sensitivity to sustainability, so all our work is organic, and we are currently waiting to pass the first “Wineries for Climate Protection” audit. This certification is the only environmental sustainability certification for the wine sector in terms of water management, waste reduction, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

What can guests look forward to in the upcoming months?

We have great expectations for this harvest as well as with the two rosés of the winery. This harvest, we will start making our wines with indigenous yeasts selected from our vineyards. We are very excited. Indigenous yeasts are part of the key to give a unique personality to our wines.

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