Jordi Puntí: "When the waiter asks who wants to try the wine, I always look up at the ceiling."

A week ago, Barça won the league. As a Barça fan and a writer, how did you celebrate the victory?

— I don't remember exactly, but with cava, for sure. We always have a bottle of cava ready. But this La Liga isn't a celebration of a single victory; we've fought for this La Liga all year, and besides, we're coming off the Copa del Rey, which we already celebrated. During the street party, I also opened something, because despite not being able to be in Barcelona, ​​my way of getting close is with a toast.

Bubbles celebrate. Do you remember any special toasts, other than Barça?

— Yes, I remember, of course. Very easy. The day I finished writing the novel that later won the Sant Jordi Prize, which was in August. Just the month before, some friends gave me a Veuve-Clicquot, and I had it in the fridge waiting for the moment. The day I finished writing... Confetti, with my wife, Stefie, and with friends who were here at home, we opened Veuve-Clicquot and drank it to Xavier Cugat's health.

Maybe you celebrated the release of 'Confetti' with the champagne that Xavier Cugat also drank.

— I don't know for sure, but given the context and the life he led, I'm sure cava or champagne was a daily presence. If only because the stage where he sang, played, and conducted the audience was often seated at dinner. Afterward, they would dance, but first, they would dine, and they would dine in luxurious places, which were places where people went to eat and drink high-quality food. Therefore, I'm convinced there was cava, champagne, and alcoholic beverages. In fact, Cugat has an album called Cuge's Cocktails, and each song is named after a cocktail.

If I understand correctly, the big party is when the prize is received, not when the book is finished.

— It's very strange, because when they told me I was going to win, I was eating with my friends, and at dessert time, the president of Òmnium Cultural, Xavier Antich, called me to give me the news. When I left dessert, I thought the call could be because of that; it was from an unknown number, and I knew that word would spread within a few days. While he was saying this, I was thinking, "Now I'll go back to the table with friends, where we've eaten once a month for 20 years. I'll order a bottle of cava and we'll toast." But while I was thinking this, Xavier said to me, "But above all, you can't tell anyone." So I had to go back to the table, armed with that information and a strong desire to jump up and shout, and I had to restrain myself. I told my friends it was a publicity call. At that moment, I'm not even going to toast, even though I've been writing for many years and I'm looking forward to that moment. So, it's better to celebrate things in the moment! [laughs]

You've often emphasized the importance of solitude and intimacy. But from what you've told me, you like to celebrate in company. Do you associate wine with moments of being by yourself or in company?

— I'm a social drinker, and I don't have the initiative that some people have to start a bottle when they're alone. I rather let myself be guided by what others are drinking and know what I like and what type of wine will suit me best. Also, when choosing a wine in a restaurant, I take a lot of advice, and that moment when the waiter says, "Who wants to taste this?" I always look up at the ceiling or at my napkin, because I assure you, I'm not the one who should be tasting the wine.

Do you have any trusted wines?

— At home, the truth is that my wife is a better wine drinker than I am. I like it and I'm curious, but I feel like I don't know much. But I think I drink wine that's linked to the region I'm in. Right now, since we live in the Empordà, we buy a wine called Oriol dels Astres, from some vineyards in Cantallops. We also really like Sempreviva, a wine from Jané Ventura. I must confess that I also like sweet wines like Malvasía from Sitges and the sweet Sinols wine from the Empordà, which is wonderful. Also, doing book presentations introduces me to new wines. For example, last year I went to give a presentation in Agullana, where they gave me a delicious bottle of wine, and now I've bought it again.

So you have a good wine list. Do you have them written down?

— The truth is, if there's a wine I really like, I take a photo of it, and I have a folder on my computer where I save the wine labels. I know it's a bit strange, but it's a way to keep track of them. When I look at them, I can't remember exactly what I liked about that wine—the label, the name, the taste... Maybe I should do a more in-depth study [laughs]. But in the end, I do remember the names of the wines that left a lasting impression on me, without needing a photo.

At the beginning of the interview, I asked you about a toast you remember most fondly. What would you like to toast to?

— Right now, so I can move into a new apartment in Barcelona, ​​because we don't have one right now. I hope we'll have one in the next few months. When the day comes, I think we'll toast and throw a party to celebrate with lots of people.