Summer is already here and wine events tend to be more fun-oriented with festivals focusing on music and wine intertwined with other events. Winelovers working in July as well as those who are lucky enough to take time off and go on holiday will have many opportunities to enjoy at least one of the activities taking place across the country throughout July.

1 June - 15 August. Wine enthusiasts in Madrid who have to spend at least part of the summer in the city can get some welcome respite from the usual heat at Enoteca Barolo's daily Champagne tastings (Príncipe de Vergara, 211) with prices ranging between €7 and €10 for two glasses. Barolo’s Champagne Calendar will list the brands offered daily, which include names such as Tarlant and Bollinger, Pol Roger and Veuve Clicquot, Jacqueson 736 and Delamotte, and up to 70 combinations. Special bottlings will be reserved for Fridays. Bookings on +34 917 451 92

2 July. Monvínic in Barcelona (Diputació, 249) holds and event to discover recovered varieties in Catalonia led by Miquel Palau from Bodegas Abadal (DO Pla de Bages). Mandó, Trepat, Morenillo, Sumoll, Malvasía de Sitges, Picapoll... are some of the names that are increasingly becoming more familiar in Catalan viticulture and are the main varietal used in the wines available at the tasting: Abadal Pla de Bages Picapoll 2014, Abadal Pla de Bages Nuat 2012, Abadal Pla de Bages Sumoll 2013 Blanc de Noirs, Abadal Pla de Bages Mandó 2013 (Experimental), Abadal Pla de Bages Sumoll 2013 (Experimental), Lafou Celler Terra Alta Morenillo 2014 (Experimental), Lafou Celler Terra Alta El Sender 2013, Lané Ventura Penedès Malvasia de Sitges 2013, Sicus Bonastre Xarel.lo Vermell 2013, Carles Andreu Conca de Barberà Trepat 2013 and Agustí Torelló Cava Trepat Rosat 2013. Price: € 35 per person. Time: 20:00  Bookings: +34 932 726 187

2 July. Pelayo de la Mata, current Marquis of Vargas, presents a mini-vertical of his wines at Bodega Santa Cecilia (Núñez de Balboa, 103). This winery, which only produces Reserva style wines, pioneered the introduction of Russian oak in Spain. Three Marqués de Vargas Reserva vintages will be available for tasting (2007, 2009 and, as a novelty, 2010) and two Marqués de Vargas Reserva Privada (2007 and 2009) Booking is necessary.

2-4 July. Fárdelej Festival will be a meeting point in Arnedo (La Rioja) for hundreds of indie music fans with Spanish bands such as La Habitación Roja, Hola a Todo el Mundo, Kiko Veneno or Sidonie, among others. As well as concerts over the weekend, festival-goers have a chance to enjoy wine and food with visits to wineries such as Faustino Rivero, tastings at Bodegas Ontañón and other activities. Day tickets cost €20

2,9 and 16 July. As a tribute to phylloxera, a vine disease which irreversibly joined Bordeaux and Rioja, Bodegas Franco-Españolas holds its 125 anniversary with a selection of French and Spanish films to start off the summer. Original version films on show include La Chica del 14 de Julio, directed by Antonin Peretjatko, The Discreet Charm of the Burgeoisie, by Luis Buñuel (VOSE) y Los Exiliados Románticos, by Jonás Trueba. Wine bar La Tavina in Logroño will take care of the pinchos and wines both before, during and after the films. Time: 21:45 Price: €3€ per session. Further information and bookings: +34 941 251 290

3 July. Sauvignon gris, menu pineau, garnacha gris, mtsvane, assyrtiko… Do these words sound like gibberish to you? They are  not just weird names, but grape varieties available for tasting at Alicante’s retailer Tiza y Flor (César Elguezábal, 31) with wines such as Casa Silva Sauvignon gris 2013, Colchagua, (Chile), Domaine Thierry Puzelat Brin, Chevre Menu Pineau 2010, Touraine (France), Pheasant Tear's Mtsvane 2013 (Georgia), Hatzidakis Assyrtiko Cuvée 15 2013 Santorini (Greece); Zidarich Carso Vitovska 2011 Friuli (Italy) and Château Musar Blanco Obaideh-Merwah 2006 (Lebanon). This exotic tasting will be paired with some cheese from La Cave a Fromage. Price: € 30 Further information and bookings on +34 965 142 003

3 July - 19 September. Most sherry lovers are familiar or have heard of Taberna der Guerrita and its Sacristía in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Exclusive sacas, unique bottles, limited productions and quirky bottles are its hallmarks. The man behind this sherry heaven is Armando Guerra, who prepares an annual summer tasting calendar to die for with some of the leading wine figures in Spain. This year’s season starts on July 3 with Pablo Eguzkiza, from Cía. de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez (20:00, €30) and is followed by names such as Dani Landi (producer in Gredos) and Beltrán Domecq (president of the DO Sherry), among others. On July 25, there will be a fun blending competition at Bodegas Luis Pérez in Jerez (11:30, €40 per couple) with a chance to win top prices. Further information and bookings on +34 697 826 096

7 July. Irene Alemany and Laurent Corrió met in Burgundy while studying winemaking. At the end of the nineties they decided to move to Penedès in Catalonia to work the eight hectares of vineyards owned by Irene's family where they make wines such as Sot Lefriec 2007, Principia Mathematica 2014 and Pas Curtei 2012, which will be tasted at La Vinya del Señor (Plaça de Santa Maria 5, Barcelona). Both Irene and Laurent will be there to explain their interesting project and wines. Time: 17:00 - 19:00 Price: €5 Further information on +34 933 103379

8 July. To celebrate the arrival of summer, Bodega Urbana (Gran Vía, 66) in Bilbao has prepared a summer party with live music played by Durbin Poveda (Iñaki Cerrajería), winemakers Ana Martín and Pepe Hidalgo's tips to enjoy wine this season and Bodega Urbana's Summer White and Red bottles. Bookings on +34 944 416 181 Time: 20:00

9 July. Santander wine retailer Ruta del Vino (Arrabal, 18) has prepared a tasting with Rodrigo Prieto from Vino Vintage who will talk about Rioja’s greatest vintages. Although the seven wines he has chosen for the tasting are a surprise, Jean Marcos Núñez at Ruta del Vino says classics such as Tondonia, Viña Real, Murrieta, Berberana, Monte Real and Rioja Alta 904 will be present. Price: €30 Time: 20:45 Bookings on +34 942 216 503

10 July. The DO Jerez-Sherry appellation celebrates its 80th anniversary with a tasting held at the city's beautiful Alcázar. The wines have been selected among the samples sent by the region's producers and carry a label which has been specially designed for the occasion. All the wines will be paired with a menu prepared by Alta Cazuela, a local catering business. Time: 21:00 Price: €25 Further information on +34 956 332050 ext 3

13 July. Wine retailer Vide, Vide in Santiago de Compostela (Rúa da Fonte de Santo Antonio, 10) together with Octopus to the Party, a project led by Paula Fraga to teach English to bar & restaurant staff, organizes an original activity to practice English while guests try three different wines from Galicia. Time: 20:30 Price: €15 Further information on +34 981 58 29 11

14 July. Castillo de Perelada winemaker, Delfí Sanahuja, presents at Monvínic (Diputació, 249 Barcelona) a vertical tasting of Finca Garbet, a 12-hectare vineyard with slate soils on terraces overlooking the Mediterranean,  north of Cap de Creus in Costa Brava and planted with Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The vintages that will be tasted are: 2001 (first vintage), 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 y 2009 Time: 20:00 Price: €75 

16 July. Goñi Ardoteka in San Sebastián (Aldamar, 3) organizes a tasting with wines from the Sherry Triangle led by  Nicolas Boise, sommelier at Mugaritz and certified sherry educator. The following wines will be served: Hidalgo Fino (Emilio Hidalgo); La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada (Equipo Navazos); Capuchino Palo Cortado VORS (Colección Familia Osborne); Ataulfo Amontillado (Bodega de los Infantes de Orléans de Borbón); Villapanés Oloroso (Emilio Hidalgo) and Pedro Ximénez Tradición VOS (Bodegas Tradición). Time: 19:30 Price: €38 You can book a place by calling +34 943 211597

16 July. Madrid wine retailer Lavinia (Ortega y Gasset, 16) presents a vertical tasting with Quinta Apolonia whites led by Didier and Jean Belondrade, the father and son team behind Belondrade winery in Rueda. Quinta Apolonia is a Verdejo single varietal made with the leftovers from the barrel-fermented Belondrade as well as with grapes from younger vines fermented in stainless steel deposits. Time: 18:30 Price: €15

16 July. A promenade from Lombardy to Sicily is the theme of an event organised by Lágrimas Negras, the wine club of Silken Puerta América hotel in Madrid. There will be a chance to discover white varieties such as  Garganega, Trebbiano, Passerina, a surprising Inzolia or sparkling wines made from Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero. Time: 19:00 - 21:00 Information and bookings on telephone +34 917 445 405

17, 24 and 31 July. Navalcarnero, a town in the suburbs of Madrid, holds at its Centro de Interpretación (C/ San José, 4) the Wine & Jazz sessions with live music and wines from the area paired with tapas and good vibes. Time: 21:30 - 01:00 Price: €9 Bookings: +34 91 810 12 87

18 July. The Yacht Club at San Vicente do Mar holds a music festival with rock & roll and wines from the D.O. Ribeiro. The second edition of Ribeiro Son de Viño will feature bands like Ken Stringfellow (The Posies), Ataque Escampe, Terbutalina, Os Amigos dos Músicos, Alex Casanova and Blues do País who will play from 13.00 until dawn. As well as concerts, there will be a debate about the  generational struggle between young people and wine culture, with the intervention of some of the musicians on the stage. Tickets are on sale at ticketea for €12.

24 July. The fact tat the vineyard is the most important part in a wine is a universal truth and that's why Valenciso organizes a promenade along its vines located in the vicinity of Ollauri, in La Rioja. Ignacio Arzoz from Enonatura, a lab and technical service which integrates winery and vineyards, will explain how the vineyards are taken care of under sustainable viticulture practices, the works they carry out and their respect for the environment. Time: 18:30 Price: €15 Bookings: +34 941 304724

25 July. Celler Alta Alella and Celler de les Aus organize a yoga session at one of its terraces with views of the vineyards and the sea, on Serralada de Marina Natural Park, near Barcelona. After the yoga class, there will be a walk around the vineyards and a chance to seen the new birds’ drinking fountain, designed to preserve and watch birds in their natural habitat around Celler de les Aus. The day will end with a wine tasting of its wines without added sulphites. Participants must wear comfortable clothes and bring a yoga matt. Time: 10:00 Price: €25 Bookings on +34 628 624 182

29 July - 2 August. The annual Albariño Fiesta will be held in Cambados (Pontevedra). There will be 40 stalls with producers from across the appellation Rias Baixas where punters can taste their wines, as well as concerts, exhibitions and fireworks. It is one of Galicia's most popular parties with over 150,000 people attending. Further information on +34 986 520 902 

30 July. Danny Boy-Rivera, comedian at Paramount Comedy, will bring his stand up show to the newly opened Centro de la Cultura del Rioja in Logroño. Visitors will be able to enjoy a dinner with three pinchos and three wines while they laugh (or not) at the jokes. Time: 21:00 Price: 18 €

30 July - 2 August. Somontano's Wine Festival will take place in Barbastro (Huesca) and will include live music. threatre, magic shows and stand-up comedy as well as Somontano wines tasting and visits to the appellation's wineries. Further information and ticket sales on the DO Somontano website and on telephone +34 974 313031 

30 July - 1 August. Music, wine, gastronomy and surf are the main ingredients of Mundaka Festival, which takes place at this gorgeous seaside town in the Urdaibai Nature Reserve in Vizcaya. Local txakoli tastings —Itsasmendi plans to launch a limited edition for the festival- and Eusko Label products, vermouth, talo (a traditional bread) and Idiazabal cheese workshops for kids as well as surf sessions are some of the  activities that will take place between 11:00 and 19:00; later in the evening the music of bands such as Dead Bronco, The Sonics, Echo & The Bunnymen and Loquillo will play on the stage. Ticket prices range from €20 for Thursday to €55 for a three-day pass.

31 July. Jean Leon, located in Penedès, holds the second edition of ViArt, an annual event where the winery pairs its wines with an artistic  discipline. On this edition, theatre takes centre stage with the group Gracias a Ramón, and the plays “Papeles” and “El mètode Zúñiga”, featuring Jordi Cadellans, Sergi Cervera and Virginia Sánchez. Location: (Château Leon, s/n 08775 Torrelavit, Barcelona) Time: 21:00-00:00. Tickets cost 43€ and include a welcome drink, winery tour, dinner with wines from the estate, live jazz and two plays. Booking is necessary on +34 93 817 76 90

31 July. Natural wines, beer and “music without labels” is Bodegas Menade's (Ctra. Rueda - Nava del Rey, Km 1, Rueda) idea of fun for the last day of July at the terrace overlooking their vineyards. The experience includes dinner at dusk. Time: 21:00 Price: €27 Bookings on telephone +34 699 906 255

Do you know of any interesting wine events which are not on this list? Are you a restaurateur or retailer who organises tastings or wine events for the general public? Send us your calendar to info@spanishwinelover.com