Claudia Gozalbes

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2020
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Sommelier, Four Seasons Hotel Madrid

Employment History

• Restaurante Coque **; Restaurante 99 KO Sushi*; Restaurante La Terraza del Casino**

Education

• University of Málaga, Spain; Level Certified, Court of Master Sommeliers; Level Advance, WSET

Birthplace

• Sevilla, Spain

Languages Spoken

• Spanish, English, French

“We have a great wine list, but even more so, a great wine experience,” says Claudia Gozalbes of the wining portion of the dining scene she helps shape at Four Seasons Hotel Madrid. Key to Claudia’s role as Head Sommelier is making the Hotel a standout destination for wine in the capital city by playing off the beverage’s appeal across the country beyond. “Spain has always been wine-focused, and we want to show locals and international visitors why that is. There is a lot more to enjoying wine with us than simply ordering a nice bottle to sip with a meal.”

Claudia oversees wine programming at each of the Hotel’s dining outlets, including Asian-inspired Isa Restaurant and Cocktail Bar, El Patio lobby lounge, and rooftop Dani brasserie by Michelin-starred Chef Dani Garcia. She also works closely with the banqueting team to line up interesting picks to enliven business and social occasions held within the Hotel’s meeting and event spaces, as well as with the kitchen team to pair with dishes on the in-room dining menu.

She doesn’t do it all alone. With the Hotel’s emphasis on wine, Claudia oversees a team of five Sommeliers, each of whom are encouraged to grow their wine knowledge and get involved. Her main spin on management is making sure that everyone feels appreciated, she says. “I’m all about working together for our guests. If my Sommeliers tell me that they have an idea for new programming or new wines to add to the list, I’m always ready to listen.”

Claudia has also added a number of new wines on her own. The cellar she inherited was heavy on French labels, as per the preference of her former boss, who hailed from London. “Well, I’m from Spain, and I know that we have a lot of great wines here, too!” Her goal is to maintain a stock of around 50% Spanish wines and divide the rest between France, greater Europe, and New World offerings from North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Hailing from Sevilla along the River Guadalquivir in southwestern Spain, Claudia always had a thing for hospitality, whatever the angle. “I started young as a consumer fascinated by the way restaurants operated and provided service. I knew I wanted to be in on it.” It was the chance to make people happy – “as happy as I always am now enjoying a meal with wine at a table” – that drew her. “I still consider myself a consumer who wants to be more professional.”

Her parents were less than happy with her choice, having envisioned another career for their daughter – at least at first. “My father didn’t even know that someone could be a sommelier. Actually, a lot of people didn’t, as the profession is not held in the same regard in Spain as it is elsewhere. When I told my friends, they’d wonder what I was talking about.”

That didn’t stop Claudia from moving forward. After studying law at the university level, she switched gears to wine and went on to earn various certifications, including from the Court of Master Sommeliers. She also placed well in promotions and contests, including winning an opportunity for intensive study on wine and winemaking techniques in northern Italy. She joined Four Seasons in 2020 as a Sommelier at Dani and was promoted to her current position in 2024.

Among Claudia’s popular innovations at Four Seasons Hotel Madrid are ongoing series of sommelier events and winemaker dinners that spotlight creative professionals of local and industry renowned, including members of her team. Meantime, she believes that wine is having a moment as the city has become a go-to destination for creative hospitality.

Any fear of wine being overtaken by cocktails? “Not at all. The concept of cocktails is still quite strange to a lot of Spaniards, but I like people drinking whatever they love” she says, pointing to her own experience of hosting remote wine tastings for family and friends during the global lockdown. “We did it every Thursday and it was very comforting. Spain is still growing as a wine country, but wine is already at its heart.”