Most wine events this month take place during the first fortnight of the month as a taster of the festive Christmasy feeling that takes over the second half of the month. 

Some of the most interesting tastings revolve around sweet and sparkling wines, such as Lavinia’s champagne lunches or Enoteca Barolo’s sweet tasting on December 10 but a selected bunch of winemakers —Benjamín Romeo, José Luis Mateo o Telmo Rodríguez— will also present their wines in different locations across Spain. Don’t forget to come back to this page throughout the month to check for updates.

December. Christmas can be a tiring, stressful affair so to cope better with the jolly season, gastro hub Lavinia (Ortega y Gasset, 16) in Madrid has devised a menu, prepared by chef Fernando del Cerro and paired with champagne from small producers such as Pierre Moncuit Grand Cru Brut Rosé or Jacques Lassaigne Blanc de Blancs, among others. The menu, which is available until January, costs €75. The same vegetable-based dishes can be enjoyed with the “Premium Pairing” which includes the following champagnes: De Sousa Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut, Pommery Brut Apanage, Horiot Sève Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature 2008, Laherte Les Baudiers Rosé de Saignée Extra Brut and Jacques Lassaigne Blanc de Blancs. The cost of this Premium Pairing is €90. Further information and bookings on +34 914 260599

2 December. Guía Peñín holds its Salón de las Estrellas tasting in Madrid (Chamartín Railway Station Attic) with wines which have been awarded four and five stars for being good value for money, with a special focus on organic wines. The tasting is open to the public between 17:00-20:00. Tickets cost €15

3 December. Bodega Santa Cecilia in Madrid (Blasco de Garay, 74) hosts a worldwide wines paired with traditional Christmas sweets: Coteaux du Layon St Lambert, 2011 with orange marzipan; icewine Pillitteri 2008 with egg yolk turrón (nougat); De Bortoli Deen Vat 5 Sémillon 2007 with glacé fruit nougat; Château Les Justices Sauternes 2006 with praline nougat; Brachetto d’Acqui Alice Bel Colle 2012 with milk chocolate and strawberry yoghourt; LBV Quinta de la Rosa 2006 Port with chocolate nougat; Quinta de la Rosa Tawny 10 years with coffee nougat ending with Poiré Autentique Eric Bordelet 2012 with passionfruit and cocoa white chocolate. Time: 19:00-20:30 Price: €25 Booking is required.

3 December. The DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry hosts a charity tasting in its premises in Jerez where Sherry Triangle wines and gel-like foods from around the world  will be combined. This sensory experience, led by food journalist and sherry ambassador José Ferrer, includes seven gel-like foods presented in different spoons and paired with seven wines. The proceeds will be given to the traditional Three Wise Men Parade 2016. Time: 20:00  Price: €15

3 December. Qalidès is a group of Penedès producers which defend wines respectful with the environment. Along with Spoonik restaurant in Barcelona (Beltrán, 28) they offer a tasting menu with seven Colombian and Mexican dishes paired with wines from the following producers: Parés Baltà, Finca Viladellops, Jané Ventura, Can Feixes, Castellroig, Cellers Avgvstvs and Mas Candí. Time: 21:30 Price: €69  Bookings through this link.

4 December. As a prelude for Christmas, Alicante wine retailer Tiza y Flor (César Elguezábal, 31) has organized an icewine tasting, a style of wines which are mostly produced in Germany, Canada and Austria. They are wines with a lovely sweet and acid balance and, given their low yields, they are rather expensive. This is the list of wines that will be tasted but there will be an additional surprise: La Cave de Morgex et de la Salle Chaude de Lune Morgex 2010 (Valle de Aosta, Italia); Kracher Eiswein 2012 (Burgenland, Austria); Pillliteri Riesling 2006 (Ontario, Canadá); Pilliteri Vidal 2012 (Ontario, Canadá) Precio: €70 Booking is required on +34 965 14 20 03 Time: 20:00 

4, 11 and 18 December. The town of Tui, close to the Portuguese border in the province of Pontevedra, hosts A Emoción dos Viños (Wines’ Emotion) each summer, an excellent opportunity to try wines made by small producers in Galicia and other wine regions. A little bit of that Emotion travels to the winter with O Viño. A Orixe dunha Emoción, a beginners’ course led by Antonio Portela, sommelier and master in Viticulture and Winemaking and one of the founders of A Emoción. The course will take place at BM Formación (Rúa de Lugo, 11 in Tui) and includes a sensorial wine test as well as notions of viticulture, winemaking, wine geography and wine service. Price: €90 Time: 18:30-21:30 Further information on +34 986 600509

5 December. Miquel Muntané Square in Bellmunt del Priorat hosts Tast de Santa Bàrbara, an annual fair where local producers show their wines on the day that this Tarragona village also commemorates the fiestas in honor of the miners’ patron saint. Part of the profits will be destined to La Marató, a charity programme in regional TV3 which this year is raising funds to fight diabetes and obesity. Entre las bodegas participantes están Casa Gran del Siurana, Costers del Priorat, Gran Clos, Mas d’en Gil, Portal del Priorat y Sedó Barceló, que también llevará sus aceites. Hora: 11:00 - 14:00 Precio: 10 euros.

5-8 December. The Basque capital Vitoria hosts Ardoaraba, an annual wine tasting event with local txakoli and wines from Rioja Alavesa paired with local pintxos. Rias Baixas and Cava are guest wine regions on this edition with marquees dotted around the city centre. In order to try the wines, visitors need to purchase their tickets (€12) which include a glass and can then be exchanged for wines and pintxos in the marquees and participant bars across town.

10 December. Retailer Enoteca Barolo (Príncipe de Vergara, 211) in Madrid joins the festive mood with a sweet wine tasting led by Juan Manuel Ruiz Casado with classics like Porto Calem Vintage 1999; Sauternes Château Climens 2012; Passito di Pantelleria Ferrandes 2007; Toro Albalá 1985 Montilla-Moriles; Tokaji Aszú Chateau Dereszla (5 Puttonyos) 2008 and Mosel Weingut Karp-Schreiber Auslese 2006. Some of these wines will be matched with chocolates with a high cocoa percentage. Time: 20:30 Price: €40 

10 December. José Luis Mateo is undoubtedly one of Spain’s most interesting vignerons. Form his base in the Monterrei area (Ourense) he favours respectful winegrowing  techniques and aims to recover the traditions and varieties in the area. In his winery, Quinta da Muradella, José Luis employs manual and artisanal methods to make delicately delicious wines which are highly regarded in foreign markets, where he sells most of his production. If you are lucky to be in Santiago de Compostela today, you should not miss his tasting at Vide, Vide (Rúa da Fonte de Santo Antonio, 10). Further information and bookings on +34 981 58 29 11 Time: 20:30 Price: €15

10 December. Guardaviñas restaurant in Logroño (Marqués de San Nicolás, 47) has prepared a tasting of eight wines from the Loire, France's longest wine region, in a journey through its different areas and varieties. Price: €25 Time: 20:30 Bookings on +34 941 123 192

11 December. La Ruta del Vino (Arrabal, 18) has organized a blind champagne tasting. According to Jean Marcos, manager of this wine store in Santander, “the small producers will challenge the famous champagne houses” and is sure there will be more than a few surprises. Time: 20:45 Price: €30 Further information on +34 94 221 6503

12 December. Nutrition journalist and blogger Nerea Prieto presents a tasting of chocolates and Gramona wines in Barcelona Food Makers (Paseo de Sant Joan, 13) where she will explain the differences between industrial and artisan bean to bar chocolates as well as the myth of cocoa percentages. The chocolates will be provided by French house Ara Chocolat and come from Venezuela and Madagascar. Price: €20 Time: 18:30-20:30  Bookings on +34 609 45 37 58

12 December. Bilbao wine store Belostikale (Belostikale, 8) has organized a tasting of Galicia wines such as Arcan 2014 (DO Rías Baixas); Triay 2014 Godello (DO Monterrei); Mauro Estevez 2014 (DO Ribeiro); Uxia da Ponte Lado 2014 (DO Ribeiro); Sabatelius Mencía 2014 and Sabatelius Carballo-Mencía 2013 (DO Ribeira Sacra) and Traste Mencía and Garnacha Tintorera (DO Valdeorras) Price: €20 Information and bookings on: +34 645 724 924

12 December. Mariano Fisac, author of the book Galicia entre Copas, presents in San Fernando Market in Madrid (Embajadores, 41) a tasting of five red and white wines from the five appellations in Galicia “plus some surprises”. Wines will be paired with Galician food products. Time: Hora: 13:00-15:00 Price: €20

12 December. Los Quesos de L’Amelie in Madrid (Torrecilla del Puerto, 5 Local 1) has prepared a truffled cheese tasting made in various styles and with different types of milk which will be paired with wine. Time: 20:00 Price: €25 Booking is necessary on +34 913 88 12 65

13 December. Barcelona-based producer Alta Alella organizes a charity flashmob in the vineyard along with dance school Pas Basic followed by a wine and food tasting in aid of La Marató TV3, a charity programme in aid of diabetes and obesity. All participants and spectators will be able to enjoy a confit egg and wild mushroom snack as well as a glass of wine or cava. Time: 11:00 Price: €5 Bookings on +34 628 624 182

15 December. As part of the “Winemakers’ tasting sessions” organized by Bodega Urbana in Bilbao (Gran Vía, 66) today is the turn of Benjamín Romeo, a Rioja wine producer who was awarded the coveted 100 Parker points in two vintages of his well-known Contador. The following wines will be tasted: Macizo del proyecto de Benjamín Romeo en Cataluña (garnacha blanca 50%, xarel.lo 50%); Predicador Blanco; Predicador Tinto; La Cueva del Contador and Contador. Information and bookings on +34 944 416 181. Time: 20:00 Price: €25

15 December. Coinciding with Catalan TV3 charity programe La Marató 2015, Espai Penedès in Barcelona (Muntaner, 21) has prepared a vertical tasting of Can Suriol cavas, a small family winery in Penedès, with a chance to taste the following vintages: 96, 98, 2000, 2001, 2006 and 2009 paired with five artisan cheeses. Profits raised from ticket sales with will go to the charity programme, which this year fights diabetes and obesity. Price: €10 Time: 20:00

16 December. The García family owns San Román winery in the DO Toro, which is led by former Vega-Sicilia winemaker Mariano García along with sons Alberto and Eduardo. They have been producing reds for the past 15 years in this northwestern region with hot summers and cold winters. To see the evolution of wines over several vintages, the Unión Española de Catadores in Madrid (Lope de Vega, 27) has organized a vertical tasting with the following vintages: 1999, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012. Time: 19:00. Price: €40; members: €25 Further information on +34 914 293 477

17 December. Solo de Uva restaurant in Madrid (Príncipe de Vergara, 210) will serve tonight a French-inspired dinner with ingredients such as foie or escargots paired with Lallier champagnes which will be on sale at special prices. Time: 21:00 Price: €30 Bookings on +34 914 267 405

21 December. Telmo Rodríguez is one of Spain’s most active searchers of singular terroirs with projects to recover old vineyards in Málaga’s Axarquía, Gredos or Ribeira Sacra. Today he will lead a tasting at La Tavina (c/ Laurel 1), one of Logroño’s most interesting wine bars. Time: 20:30 Further information on +34  941 10 23 00

21 December. Unión Española de Catadores organizes a presentation of 12 international wines made by Spanish winemakers. The tasting, led by Pedro Ballesteros MW, includes the following wines: Cordillera, Miguel Torres (Chile); Henri Abelé Sourire, Freixenet (Francia); Procura, Susana Esteban (Portugal); Château Lanessan, Paz Espejo (Francia); O Fournier Malbec, José Manuel & Natalia Ortega (Argentina); Ultreia Cabo Tormenta, Raúl Pérez (Sudáfrica); Vino Camino, David Pagan (EEUU); Galerie Sauvignon Knights Valley, Laura Díaz (EE UU); Vall Llach Carignan, Albert Costa (Marruecos); Codorniu Napa Grand Reserve (EE UU); Solaris, Daniel Barrio (Suecia) and Cognac François I by Bodegas Verum. The tasting will take place at Hotel Villareal in Madrid (Plaza de las Cortes, 10). Time: 17:00 Price: €100 € non members. Bookings on +34 914 293 477 

26 and 27 December and 2-5 January. Bodegas Vivanco in Briones (La Rioja) opens its doors for Christmas to hold activities such as a beginners' tasting course (26 December and 2 January) or various children's workshops over the two-week Christmas break. On the 26th, journalist and film director Santiago Tabernero will lead a children and adults cinema workshop with morning and evening sessions. Further information on this link

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 for free to info@spanishwinelover.com