Wine tastings for March 2015

The month commences with a bang —a vertical tasting in Madrid to mark the 40th anniversary of Viñedos del Contino, with a chance to try the first ever vintage of this great Rioja winery. Only one of the 120 couples who will take part in the Vila Viniteca Tasting Contest in Pairs will bag the €20,000 prize, but the event in Madrid will open its doors to winelovers, who will get a chance to taste wines from approximately 50 wineries. The month ends with the Vitis Vinifera festival, where 80 wine producers from Spain and the rest of Europe will show their wines. Come back to this page for further wine event updates throughout the month in Spain!

March. Camellias bloom in many pazos (traditional manor houses) and estates across Galicia during the first months of the year. These flowers, which arrived from Asia 3,000 years ago, adapted very well to the weather in the region and today there are around 5,000 varieties throughout Galicia. For lovers of wine and flowers, the regional Tourist Office has designed four routes that include visits to wineries where camellias grow such as Pazo de Bazán, Pazo de Fefiñanes, Pazo Quinteiro da Cruz and Pazo de Rubians. Find out more details about entry to the wineries and opening times in this link.

5 March. A special occasion to take part in a vertical tasting to mark the 40th anniversary of Viñedos del Contino (1974-2014) led by Jesús Madrazo, winemaker and alma mater of the Rioja winery. The line up includes Contino Reserva 1974 (first vintage at Contino), 1995, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2009 vintages and barrel samples from the 2014 vintage. The event has been organised by Bodega Santa Cecilia and will take place at its Tasting Rooms (Blasco de Garay, 74). Time: 7:00-8:30pm. Booking is essential. Price: €40/members - €45/non members.

5 March. In 2005, Alfonso Torrente, Roberto Santana, Laura Ramos and José Martínez launched Envínate to make terroir-driven wines. Ten years later, they are behind some of the most singular and sought-after wines in Spain with projects in Almansa, Galicia, Canarias or Extremadura which they will present at Enoteca Barolo (Príncipe de Vergara, 211). The tasting will be led by Alfonso Torrente y Roberto Santana, two of Envínate's members, and will includes wines from the 2013 vintage. Bookings on +34 917 451 927 Price: €25 Time: 8:30pm

5 March. Journalist and wine producer Víctor Gómez de la Serna presents ten vintages of Finca Sandoval, the project he launched in 1998 in Manchuela to make wines with traditional grapes such as Bobal, Monastrell, Garnacha Tinta, Garnacha Tintorera which are blended with Syrah and Touriga Nacional. The tasting will include all Finca Sandoval vintages, from 2001 to 2010 as well as the Cuvée Cecilia 2015. Time: 8:00 to 10:00pm Price: €45 (Special price for Club Members: €40) Location: Vila Viniteca. Agullers, 7. Barcelona.

5 March. Zaragoza marks today the Cincomarzada, a popular fiesta to remember the ejection of Carlists troops in 1838. To mark this day, wine retailer Tome Vinos (Centro Palafox) has organised a tasting of Riesling wines of various styles and world regions led by Jorge Orte which include Schloss Vaux Riesling Sekt Brut Rheingauer 2011 (Rheingau sparkling, Germany); Dr. Loosen Riesling Feinherb Grey Slate 2013 (Mosel, Germany); Skillogalee Riesling 2011 (Clare Valley, Australia); Marc Tempé Riesling Zellenberg 2010 (Alsace, France); Pegasus Bay Riesling 2008 (Waipara, New Zealand) and Borda Sabaté Escol Riesling Organic 2011 (Principat d'Andorra) Time: 1:00pm Price: €20 Booking is advised.

6 March. Garnachists have a date with their favourite grape variety at Madrid retailer Lavinia (Ortega y Gasset, 16). The shop organises a Garnacha pop-up market, with over 30 wines from different Spanish regions and styles. Bookings are necessary. Time: 7:00 - 10:00pm. Price: €10 (ticket costs will be deducted from any purchase over €50)

6 March. Retailer Tiza y Flor in Alicante (César Elguezábal, 31) organises a tasting of South African wines, including some from Swartland, one of the up and coming wine regions in the country where young producers are trying to make terroir.driven wines in this area to the north of Cape Town. The wines available for tasting are: The Sadie Family Skerpioen 2012; Southern Right Pinotage 2012; Reyneke organic red 2011; Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir 2012; The Sadie Family Treinspoor 2012 and Newton Johnson Chardonnay 2012. Cheeses provided by La Cave a Fromage will be served after the tasting. Time: 8:00pm - 10:30pm Price: €30. Booking is necessary.

7 March. Over 40 wineries will be present in the Basque town of Durango to take part in Durango Ardo Saltsan, a wine and gourmet fair with delicious foods such as Iberico tomato, black garlic, marinated free range chicken, cheese, anchovies, coffee etc. This year’s main theme at Durango Ardo Saltsan will be Japan’s gastronomy, with show cooking events and live tastings. Tickets for the fair, held at Landako Gunea showground, cost €15 and include a tasting glass. Hours: 11:00 - 3:00pm and 5:00 - 9:00pm

7 March. Ambiguity, indetermination and castrati is the unusual subject chosen by music history professor Álvaro Torrente's to discuss during a dinner paired with four wines by Bodegas Torres (Santa Digna Rose, Santa Digna Chardonnay, Santa Digna Cabernet Sauvignon and Moscatel Oro). The event will include a live concert with soprano singer Beatriz Arenas and is organised by Catas con Arte. It will be held at Hotel NH Nacional (Paseo del Prado, 48) and booking is necessary. Time: 21:00 Price: 55 € 

8 March. The 120 double tickets for the annual Vila Viniteca Tasting in Pairs, which this year takes place in Madrid, were sold out in less than half an hour, but there is a chance to attend as a member of the public to see who is the lucky couple who will win the  €20,000 prize. Between the classifying tasting and the final, tasting tables will be laid out with wines served by the 42 wineries who will be present at the Casino in Madrid (Alcalá, 15). Entrance is free but registration is necessary. Follow this link for details Time: 10:30 - 6:30pm

8 March. The Association of Natural Wine Producers (PVN) holds a natural wine fair in Barcelona with over 25 artisan winegrowers such as Barranco Oscuro, Porcellànic or Erik Rosdahl as well as local cheese, charcuterie and bread producers. Attendees will get a chance to taste wines to the sound of vinyl music and purchase products. Tickets cost €5 and include a  Spiegelau glass. Local restaurant Casa Xica will serve dinner at the event and the cost €25. To book send an email to vinosnaturales@gmail.com. The event will be held at Addicted to Life. Pujades, 156. 22@ Barcelona. Time: 10:00 - 8:00pm

9 March. The Verema Experience travels to Palma de Mallorca along with around 100 wineries showing their wines at the Bellver Castle in the Balearic city. The event will commence with a tasting of wines from Bodegas Torres, one of Spain’s largest producers. The rest of the day will be devoted to tasting some of the wines brought along by producers such as Abadía Retuerta (V.T. Castilla y León), Binifadet (V.T. Illes Balears), Cims de Porrera (D.O.Q. Priorat), Pere Ventura (D.O. Penedès, D.O. Cava) and Roda (D.O. Ribera del Duero, D.O.Ca Rioja), among others. Inscription is free but compulsory. Hours: 11:00 - 9:00pm.

10 March. Seville wine retailer Viña y Licor (Arfe, 20) has planned a tasting dubbed Drink Spain where attendees will be able to sample some of the most important appellations in the country based on their main grape varieties. Seven wines will be tasted: Artadi Tempranillo 2012 (DOCa Rioja), Flores de Callejo 2013 (DO Ribera del Duero), Dehesa Gago 2012 (D.O. Toro), Godelia 2009 (D.O. Bierzo), Terra Prima 2011 (DO Penedés), Juan Gil 2012 (D.O. Jumilla) and Garum 2013 (VT Cadiz). The tasting costs €25 for members and €30 for non members. Time: 8:30pm

11 March. Wine and cheese make a good couple and to prove it, Madrid specialist retailer Los Quesos de l'Amélie (Torrecilla del Puerto, 5 - Local 1) has organised a cheese tasting from Auverne, a mountainous rural region in central France which makes well-known styles such as Saint-Nectaire, Cantal, Bleu d'Auvergne …. Cheeses will be paired with a selection of wines presented by Óscar Cárdenas, sommelier at Bodegas Luis Cañas, including Cair Cuvee, Amaren barrel fermented white and a third surprise.  Time: 8:00 - 9:00pm Price: €25 Information and bookings on info@losquesosdelamelie.com

13 and 14 March. The  city of Toledo holds its 2nd International Wine Summit with events like The Wine Night (La Noche en Vino) in many towns across Castilla-La Mancha. Visitors will be able to join wine and tapas routes in different towns, various one-hour wine tastings with wines from the region and flamenco concerts with leading figures such as Diego El Cigala or Niña Pastori among others. On March 14th, some of the wineries in the region hold an open-doors day for wines aficionados. Download the programme on this link.

14 March. In order to raise funds for Asociación Achalay, a charity that helps children, women and families at risk of social exclusion, sommelier Gloria Carrero will lead a tasting of the following wines, which will be accompanied by four tapas: Sangere Brut Voyage 360 (Champagne), Antonio Montero Blanco Autor (DO Ribeiro),  Navaltallar Roble 12 2010 (DO Valtiendas),  San Emilio Pedro Ximénez (DO Jerez). The entertainment at this tasting for charity will be  provided by Spirit to All Gospel Choir. Time: 6:30pm Price: €20 Address: Arcipreste de Hita, 10, Madrid.

14 March. Cava producer Segura Viudas organizes a bird watching workshop to observe winter birds at their Penedès estate. The visit is led by members of the Spanish Bird Watching  Society (SEO-BirdLife) and will finish with a cava tasting and aperitif. The price is €50 per family (two adults and two children). Find out details to take part in this link or call this number: +34 938 917 024. 

17 March. Bodega Urbana in Bilbao (Gran Vía 66) presents a comparative tasting of Tempranillo from Rioja and Tinto Fino from Ribera del Duero. wines with different styles will be served but they will all be paired, in a parallel tasting, with cured cheeses from Cameros (La Rioja) and La Esgueva region in Burgos. The line-up includes Koden 2013 vs Pago de los Capellanes Roble 2013, both aged in barrel for a few months; El Predicador 2012 vs Astrales 2012, in a more personal style; Marqués de Murrieta 2009 vs Carmelo Rodero 2009, both Reserva. Time: 7:30 to 9:30. Price: €30 Bookings on info@bodegaurbana.com or on telephone +34 944 416 181

19 March. An unmissable and rare occasion for sherry lovers to taste old wines in a tasting led by expert Alvaro Girón at Barcelona's Vila Viniteca (Agullers, 7). The tasting will consists mostly of old style finos and manzanillas, wines which have been under flor for extended periods of time and bottled in the 70s or before by well-known brands such as Valdespino, Hidalgo-La Gitana, Domecq and Osborne, among others. It will also be a good opportunity to discuss the aging capacity of finos and manzanillas and the importance of terroir in the Sherry Triangle. Price: €59 (“El Club” members €54).

20 March. Santa Caterina Market in trendy Born, in central Barcelona, organises a wine and olive oil tasting with products made by five Catalan wineries. These wines and oils will be paired with fresh local produce sold in the market. Booking is necessary on this website. Price: €26  Time: 7:00 - 9:00pm

20-22 March. Grupo Pesquera celebrates the 40th anniversary of Tinto Pesquera with several activities at its Pesquera de Duero winery, including a vertical tasting of the best Condado de Haza vintages (€45) and a dinner with producer Alejandro Fernández at his Luna Llena restaurant in Peñafiel (Valladolid) at a cost of €120. Bookings on +34 983 870 037 

21 March. Sherry bar Tabanco Barrera in Jerez de la Frontera organises a tasting of amontillado-style wines with a chance to try some fantastic examples of this type of sherry which combines biological and oxidative aging. The wines are: Amontillado La Cigarrera by Bodegas La Cigarrera, Amontillado Colosía by Bodegas Gutiérrez Colosía, Amontillado Classic by Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla, Amontillado del Príncipe by Bodegas Marqués del Real Tesoro, Amontillado NPU by Bodegas Sánchez Romate and Amontillado en Rama Cruz Vieja by Bodegas Faustino González which will be paired with hazelnuts, mojama (salt-cured tuna) from Barbate, sheep's cheese and tagarninas esparragadas (a popular vegetable dish). Price: €12 advanced purchase and €15 at the event. To book send an email to info@sherrylife.com, phone +34 653 876 741 or at Tabanco Barrera (Enrique Domínguez Rodiño St, Jerez)

23 March. Sommelier Ferran Centelles, who worked at world-famous El Bulli restaurant for 13 years, presents a wine and food pairing workshop along with Outlook Wine School. He will talk about cooking, produce, seasonings, sauces and textures and how to pair them with certain aromas and flavours. Aimed at members of the restaurant trade and wine and food lovers, the workshop involves both theory and practice and includes a food and wine tasting. Attendees will receive an Outlook Wine diploma at the end of the  course. Locatio: Hotel Catalonia Barcelona Plaza (Plaza de España, 6 and 8) Time: 10:30 to 13:30 and 15:00 to 18:00 Price:€175 + VAT.

23 March. The eighth edition of Vitis Vinifera fair, organised by distributor Cuvée 3000, will gather 80 producers showing wines of different styles and origins such as Gutiérrez Colosía, Artadi, Escoda Sanahuja, Ferrer Bobet, Erik Rosdahl or Mustiguillo from Spain or Billecart-Salmon (Champagne), Domaine Gauby (Languedoc), Antoine Jobard (Burgundy), Schlossgut Diel (Germany) and Dario Princic (orange wine from Friuli) from other European foreign regions. The event will take place at Catalonia’s National Theatre (Plaça de les Arts, 1) and is open to trade professionals and general public. Tickets cost €5 and include a tasting glass. Time: 12:00 - 8:00pm

24 March. Monvínic (Diputación, 249) organizes a masterclass in Barcelona about the wines and terroirs of the Jura, one of the trendiest wine regions in France right now with some unique varieties and styles of wine. The tasting, led by sommelier Jordi Xavier Romero, will include the following wines: Jacques Puffeney  Arbois Trousseau Cuvée Les Berangères 2011 (Trousseau); André et Mireille Tissot Arbois Savagnin 2010; Philippe Bornard Arbois-Pupillin Ploussard La Chamade 2010; Berthet-Bondet Côtes du Jura Vin de Paille 2005; Diddier Grappe Côtes du Jura En Novelin Chardonnay 2009; Berthet-Bondet Château-Chalon 2007; Jean Macle Côtes du Jura 2008; Berthet-Bondet Côtes du Jura Savagnin 2008 and Berthet-Bondet Macvin du Jura. Price: €55  Information and bookings on info@monvinic.com

24 March. The Spanish Wine Tasters Union (Lope de Vega, 27) presents in Madrid a Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine tasting, a region on the banks of the Rhône river where Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre dominate red wine production. The tasting, led by Jens Riis, will focus mainly on the 2012 vintage and includes wines from leading producers such as Le Vieux Donjon, Clos du Mont-Olivet, Domaine Eddie Féraud, Charvin, Jerome Gradassi and Bois de Boursan. Time: 7:00pm Price: €30 (UEC members) – €45 (non members) Further information on +34 914 293477

25-29 March. Conde Duque is a trendy neighbourhood in Madrid where wine lovers have a chance to enjoy the second edition of Wines from Madrid Week. Fifteen wineries fromthe region will take part in the event with tastings, wine and food pairings, round tables, showroom and other activities. Conde Duque Cultural Centre will host the main event but many bars and restaurants in the area also get involved. For further information, check Madrid's regional authority website.

26 March. The second edition of Vinos de España, una Pasión (Wines from Spain, a Passion) organized by sherry winery Emilio Hidalgo will gather a great deal of producers from across Spain which make wines in different styles and regions such as Bernaveleva, Mustigullo, La Rioja Alta, Torelló,  Delgado Zuleta, Gorka Izaguirre, Quinta Milú or Alonso del Hierro, among others. Opening hours: 11:30 - 7:30pm Price: €20 Tickets can be purchased on this link.

27-28 March. The fourth edition of Vinofest Navarra will be held in Pamplona's Baluarte Congress Centre with the presence of 25 wineries from the appellation --like Viña Zorzal, Finca Albret, Castillo de Monjardín, Ochoa or Pago de Larrainzar, among others-- which will present the new vintages for their young wines as well as others in the range. Some of the activities at Vinofest include guided visits to the tasting tables led by a sommelier and Ludovino, a wine casino where participants will test their senses. Tickets cost €6 and include a tasting glass.

29 March. The  II show of Catalan cheese and Priorat wines will be held at the restaurant of Clos Figueras winery in Gratallops. No details have yet emerged about which wineries will be present at the event, but the tasting will be open from 10:00am until 2:00. Price: €12 More information on phone number +34 977 830 217

30 March. Logroño wine store La Tavina organizes a tasting led by Javier San Pedro, fifth generation in a family of winegrowers from Laguardia, where he will present his Cueva de Lobos range, with aromatic modern wines; and the Viuda Negra collection, focused on recovering old vines in this Rioja Alavesa region. Time: 8:30pm Price: €22  Booking is necessary on +34 941 102 300 or on the La Tavina website.

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