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. The most interesting tastings involve bubbles, wines which are unjustifiably seasonal but which are at their most popular this month in terms of consumption and sales.  

As well as bubbly, there is the odd festival or special event, like the dinner with Vega Sicilia and the awesome voice of Barbara Hendricks and the tasting with Pedro Ballesteros MW at the end of the month. Don’t forget to return to this page throughout the month to check for updates!

1 December. Vide, Vide store in Santiago de Compostela (Rúa da Fonte de Santo Antonio, 10) presents Paco and José Crusat, the father and son team from Adegas Entre os Ríos in A Pobra do Caramiñal. They will bring the new vintage of KomoKabras, one of their most singular wines, as well as others they produce in the DOP Brabanza e Iria in Galicia. Attendance is free but booking is required on this number: +34 981 58 29 11 Time: 20:30.

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

2 December. Lavinia in Madrid (Ortega y Gasset, 16) hosts a national and international sparkling wine festival where wine lovers will be able to taste bubbly from producers such as Alta Alella, Castell de Sant Antoni, Gramona, Laurent Perrier, Louis Roederer, Juve & Camps, Pere Ventura, Recaredo, Agustí Torelló, Muga or Deutz, among others. Time: 19:00 Tickets cost €10 but this amount will be reimbursed with purchases over €50 on the day of the event.

2 December. To mark their 7th anniversary, La Tintorería in Madrid (Gurtubay, 4) will host Sherry ambassador Pepe Ferrer who will lead a tasting with various fino, manzanilla and amontillado styles represented in the following wines: Manzanilla Maruja, Fino Maestro Sierra, Fino La Panesa, Juan Piñero Amontillado, Maestro Sierra Amontillado 12 años and Emilio Hidalgo Amontillado viejo El Tresillo 1874. Time: 20:30 Price: €30

2 December. Wine store Belostikale (Belostikale, 8) in Bilbao hosts a tasting of sparkling wines made by Vinícola del Nulles, one of Tarragona’s historical producers founded in 1916. The following wines will be tasted: Adernats Brut Reserva, Adernats Brut Nature Gran Reserva, Adernats Rosat Reserva, Adernats XC and Adernats Dolç. Time: 20:00 Price: €20

3-10 December. The Basque capital hosts Ardoaraba, an annual wine tasting festival with local txakoli and wines from Rioja Alavesa paired with local pintxos. Cava is the guest wine appellation on this edition with marquees dotted around the city centre in Vitoria. Producers like Berarte, Tierra or Txakoli Uno will lead tastings in special areas next to the marquees. In order to try the wines, visitors need to purchase their tickets (€13) which include a glass and can then be exchanged for wines and pintxos in the marquees and participant bars across town. As a novelty this year, some producers will also present their wines at tastings held in various bars across town. 

4 December. The village of 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. Participating producers include Casa Gran del Siurana, Costers del Priorat, Gran Clos, Mas d’en Gil, Solà Clássic y Sedó Barceló which will bring its olive oils. Time: 11:00 - 14:00 Price: €10. Part of the proceeds will go to charity.

7 December. Europe vs América is the subject wine retailer Jovani&Vins (Comte Borrell, 30) in Barcelona has picked for its next blind tasting, which will include four wines. There will be cheese to pair with each wine. Time: 19:45  Price: €10 (members €9)

9 December. The Monvínic Experience in Barcelona this year will include a tasting of wines from iconic producer Vega Sicilia plus the presence of singer Barbara Hendricks, along with organ player Mathias Algotsson and Ulf Englund on the guitar, who will offer their interpretation of each wine through a serie of songs chosen by them. These are the wines on the tasting: Oremus Mandolas 2014 Tokaj, Macán 2013 Rioja, Valbuena 5ª 2012, Vega Sicilia Único 2005, 2002, 1996 and 1990 and Oremus Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2007. Price: €180

10 December. Sherry’s regulatory bodies will host a charity tasting led by Rocío Ruiz, owner of Bodegas Urium in Jerez, and César Saldaña, director of the appellation. These are the wines that will be tasted: Fino en Rama, Amontillado Clásico, Palo Cortado Clásico, Oloroso VORS and PX VORS. Time: 12:00-14:00 Price: €12 € Inscription and bookings on practicas@sherry.org

13 December. Tándem Gastronómico team has prepared a tasting of sparkling wines made by Alba Viticultores, aka Fernando Angulo and Carmen Caballero, from their Palomino vines in albariza soils in Sanlúcar. The following wines will be tasted: Alba Ancestral, Alba Brut Nature sobretabla, Alba Brut Nature Rosado and Alba Alegrías del Carrascal. Location: Fierro (Doctor Serrano, 4) in Valencia. Time: 19:00-21:00 Price: €45

13 December.  Wine store Enoteca Barolo (Príncipe de Vergara, 211) in Madrid joins in the Christmas spirit with a tasting of vintage champagnes led by Juanma Ruiz Casado: Pierre Gimonnet Cuvée Fleuron 1er Cru 2006, Paul Bara Grand Cru 2007, Monmarthe 1er Cru 2008, Louis Roederer Rosé 2009, Franck Bonville Grand Cru 2010 and Pehu Simonet Fins Lieux Grand Cru 2011. Time: 20:30 Price: €40 

14 December.  Los Quesos de L’Amelie in Madrid (Torrecilla del Puerto, 5 Local 1) has prepared a tasting of five cheeses paired with Lallier Grand Cru champagne. Time: 20:00 Price: €25 Booking is necessary on +34 913 88 12 65

14 December.  Experts Jordi Melendo (Guía Melendo del Champagne) and Dani Corman (Champagne Ambassador 2010) present a tasting of vigneron champagnes paired with some top pintos in Essencia Wine Bar & Store in San Sebastián (Zabaleta, 42). Time: 19:15 Price: €95. Bookings on +34 943 32 69 15

15 December. Also in San Sebastián  Goñi Ardoteka organizes a tasting led by sommelier Nico Boise (restaurant Elkano, Getaria) with the following blended wines: champagne De Sousa 3A, champagne Jacques Lassaigne Tirade Rosé, Clos Nelin 2014 Priorat, Remelluri Blanco 2008 Rioja, Bartolo Mascarello 2011 Barolo and Domaine de Trevallon Alpilles 2005. Time: 19:30 Price: € 60 Bookings on +34 943 21 15 97

15 December. Wine merchant Majuelos Singulares (San Ignacio, 9) in Valladolid presents a tasting of single varietal sparkling wines with the following selections: Botani (Moscatel Dulce, DO Sierras de Málaga), Castellroig Brut Xare.lo 2013 (DO Cava), Tipzzy 2015 (Monastrell método ancestral) Alicante, Robert Barbicano Rosé de Saignée (Pinot Noir, Champagne), Bourdaire Gallois Brut Meunier (Pinot Meunier, Champagne), Clos Lentiscus Gentlemant 2013 (Malvasía de Sitges, DO Penedès), Barrat Masson Fleury de Craie (Chardonnay, Champagne) and Clos Lentiscus Ferèstec 2010 (Sumoll, DO Penedès). Time: 20:30 Price: €25 (€22 for early bookings) Tel: +34 616 675 123

16 December. Wine store El Buen Gusto in Valladolid (Manuel Silvela, 2) presents a tasting of wines from Italy, France and New Zealand with selections like Cuvée Reserve and Rosé Vintage 2006 by Pol Roger, Sir Winston Churchill's favourite Champagne; Mount Nelson and Ram’s Hill Sauvignon Blanc from  Marlborough and a rosé and two reds from Tenuta di Biserno in Tuscany. Time: 20:00 Price: €20 Bookings on +34 983 377 199

17 December.  Barcelona based producer Abadal, located in Santa Maria d'Horta d’Avinyó, will host a Christmas Market with foodie and artisan products as well as a wine & food bar. As well as shopping, market goers will be able to visit the winery, take part in children’s workshops, a wine showcooking and several wine tastings including a session with chocolate led by sommelier Josep Pellegrí (Best Spanish Sommelier 2016), another one featuring cheese and a beginners’ tasting. The day will end with a concert by Andrea Motis, Joan Chamorro and Josep Traver. Time: 11:00 - 20:30

18 December. Can Rafols dels Caus opens the doors of its winery in Avinyonet del Penedès, Barcelona to host a fun and unusual tasting with four of the house's wines where music, culture and traditions will take centre stage. The aim is to have a good time and donate the proceeds to La Marató de TV3, which will destine the proceeds to the fight against ictus, a disease that Carlos Esteva, owner of Can Rafols, suffered. Time: 12:00 Price: €10 Bookings and information: +34 93 897 0013

21 December.  Espai Penedès in Barcelona (Muntaner, 21) has organized a tasting of French cheese —Maroilles AOC Nord-Pas-de-Calais, L’Ossau-Iraty AOC Aquitania, Le Pélardon AOC Languedoc-Rousillon, Brie & Camembert Fermier, Montbriac d’Auvergne, Reblochon Rhône-Alpes or Munster AOC d’Alsace— paired with wines from Penedès. Price: €19 (Non members) Time: 20:00

22 December.  To round of a great year, the Unión Española de Catadores, named best education provider at this year’s IWC Merchant Awards Spain, presents Spain’s only Master of Wine Pedro Ballesteros who will lead a tasting of world wines made from Cabernet Franc: Chinon, with producers such as Bertrand Sourdais, Bernard Baudry or Philippe Alliet; Toscana or Friuli with Poggio al Tesoro or Mario Schiopetto; or prestigious winemakers such as Alejandro Vigil in his Argentine project El Enemigo. The tasting will be held at Hotel Villamagna in Madrid (Plaza de las Cortes, 10) Time: 19:00. Price: €100; members €85.

23 December. To end the year in style, wine merchant Tiza y Flor (César Elguezabal, 31) in Alicante organizes a tasting of champagnes selected by A la Volé and accompanied by cheese from local store Cave a Fromage. “One bottle per head. It has always been like that and we don't plan to change it but if we do, it will be upwards, of course”, says owner Pedro Ruiz Belda. Time: 20:00 Price: €50 Bookings on +34 965 14 20 03

27 December.  Wine merchant Mostrador de Vila Viniteca in Madrid (General Díaz Porlier, 4) presents a tasting of amontillados both from the Sherry Triangle and Montilla-Moriles with the following wines: La Bota de Nº61 Amontillado, Quo Vadis? Amontillado Muy Viejo, Lustau Amontillado Escuadrilla, Tradición Amontillado VORS, Pérez Barquero Amontillado Gran Barquero, Alvear Solera Fundación Amontillado and Toro Albalá Amontillado Convento 1971. Time: 20:00 Price: €49

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