When did you first become interested in wine?
When I was fourteen, my father took the family to Bordeaux, France and that was my first introduction to the world of wine. We stayed at several châteaus in Bordeaux, including some of the most famous ones. That was my first real intro to the world of wine.

What brought you into the wine business?
I was in France and my father took my family to San Sebastián for the day and I knew I wanted to come back and study. I ended up developing an affinity for the Spanish culture; I was very interested in learning about and drawn to Spanish wines and wanted to bring them into the U.S. I developed a relationship with a native in Spain and we ended up mapping out the concept of my company and started importing Spanish wines.

Do you have a favorite varietal or region?
Tempranillo Ribera del Duero

If you don't order wine at a restaurant or bar, which beverage do you choose?
Gin and tonic

What's your least favorite drink?
Rum

What's your best wine drinking memory?
In Spain, my father and I shared four bottles of wine over three hours, just the two of us.

What are your thoughts on recent trends within the industry?
Value. Value is a demand from the consumer these days. There is so much variety out there and consumers want something that is not expensive so they can enjoy new flavors, try new things and experiment with new wines. Spain has exploded over the past five years — the notion of "tapas" is coming up everywhere, Spanish celebrities, sport figures, actors, actresses, are all over the place. There is a huge Spain wave hitting the U.S. like no other old world country has in the past.

What are some of your favorite food and wine pairings?
Albariño and oysters, Tempranillo and lamb

What wines should no home be without?
A Garnacha!

What are your three best tips, tricks or techniques for wine lovers?
Drink responsibly, experiment with new wines from all countries, and don't ever buy more than four bottles of one type of wine.