Wine tastings in February 2022

As we do each month, SWL publishes some of the most interesting activities for wine enthusiasts in Spain. After the post-Christmas slumber, tastings are slowly picking up again and events such as the Salón de Vinos Naturales in Barcelona, which was interrupted during the pandemic, are once again on the agenda.
As usual, this list of events will be updated as new activities are announced, so come back to this page for further updates.

1 February. Asome of the top scoring wines in the Ecovino Awards 2021 will be present at Vitoria-Gasteiz's Mendizorrotza Catering School in a tasting led by Antonio Palacios, professor of Sensory Analysis at the University of La Rioja and Iñigo Crespo, secretary of the competition. Time: 18:00 Registration is free but necessary on this link

2 February. After launching the first Regenerative Viticulture Association in Spain at the end of last year, the members of this group, founded by Miguel and Mireia Torres (Familia Torres and Jean Leon), Joan Huguet (Can Feixes), Christian Barbier (Clos Mogador) and Francesc Font (AgroAssessor Farm Managers), now present a webinar on the basic principles, opportunities and challenges of regenerative viticulture and the goals of the group. Registration is not required. Time: 10:30-12:00

2, 3, 9, 10, 15, 17, 22 and 24 February. The calendar of the Spanish Tasters Union in Madrid (Lope de Vega, 27) is full of interesting tastings on site this month: Garnachas from Navarra (2nd), a selection of wines by Sarah Jane Evans MW (3rd), pale, golden and under veil wines from Rueda (9th), Verdicchio from Castelli di Jesi (10th), Pocas Colheita vertical (15th), Diego Magaña and his wines (17th), Italian wines by Doctor Wine (22nd) and whites from Jerez with Armando Guerra (24th). Time: 19:00 Price: €35-40  (€20-25 members), depending on the activity.

From 2 February. The Rioja Alavesa Wine & Food Campus hosts over 35 courses across the region to broaden the knowledge of professionals or people who want to enter the world of wine. Workshops range from how to promote your wine brand and other marketing strategies to courses about communication, wine tourism or English for wine producers. Timetables and prices vary according to the activity.

Until 15 February. Coinciding with the launch of Jean Leon Vinya La Scala Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva 2015, the Penedès winery presents the exhibition 'Being a vineyard' by Guinovart, a painter, sculptor and engraver from Barcelona. Eight exhibits about wine and vineyards selected by Maria Guinovart, president of the Fundació Espai Guinovart d'Agramunt and daughter of the artist, and Mireia Torres, director of Jean Leon will be on show, among them the reproduction of Els ceps i la nit, a large-scale painting featured on the new vintage of Jean Leon's wine. The exhibition 'Being vineyard' can be visited as part of the winery tour in Torrelavit (Tarragona). Bookings at visitas@jeanleon.com or calling +34 93 817 76 90.

4 February. As the town of Valls hosts the festivities of La Candela, DO Tarragona presents the impact of time on wine with the Tast del Deseni (Tasting of the Decade). This is a tasting of 10 wines, one from each year between 2011 and 2021, which will be paired with 10 dishes + 1. It will take place at Casa Fèlix restaurant (N-240, 17) in Valls. Time: 19:30 Price: €55.

4 February. Dr. Teresa Garde Cerdán, scientist at the CSIC-ICVV, hosts an online seminar called Use of nanotechnology in the vineyard which is organized by the Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences (ICVV) in Logroño, Spain. Time: 11:30 am. Further information on +34 941 894 980.

4, 10, 14, 17 and 22 February. Lavinia wine bar in Madrid (Ortega y Gasset, 16) hosts several in-person activities this month: cava vs champagne (4th, €65), tasting of aromas (10th, €50), special Valentine's Day tasting (14th, €54.99) and red wine and chocolate (17th, €50). In addition, a series of virtual tastings entitled "Our picks for 2022" begins on the 22nd with a tour of the wide variety of interesting projects that exist today in Spain. The online tastings will feature the winemakers behind the wines, which will be available for wine lovers to buy. This is this mont's selection: Cantayano 2019 (Cantalapiedra Viticultores; VT Castilla y León), explained by Manuel Cantalapiedra; Vereda de las Tórdigas 2019 (Rico Nuevo; DO Cebreros), explained by Juan Andrés Martín; Dominio de Calogía 2019 (DO Ribera del Duero), explained by José Manuel Pérez Oveja; I'm Natural Don't Panic (Coruña del Conde; DO Ribera del Duero), explained by Julien Ben Hamou and Ternario 1 2016 (Venta la Vega; DO Almansa), explained by José Ángel Martínez. The online tasting costs €70 and includes delivery of the five bottles. All activities start at 19:00

6-7 February. After two years of pandemic hiatus, the Salon de Vins Naturals returns to Barcelona (Nau Bostik, La Sagrera) organised by the Association of Natural Wine Producers (PVN). More than 50 producers from Spain and a handful from abroad will be exhibiting their wines. Catering service during the show will be provided by El Ginjoler. Opening hours: 6th: 10.00-20.00 (10 €). 7th: 10.00-16.00 (€10 or free with wristband and Sunday glass). Prices include a tasting glass. 

21 February. The Association of Navarra Sommeliers presents a new tasting with Fernando Mora MW and his wines from Aragón. Time: 19:00 Venue: Hotel Don Carlos (Pamplona). Price: €65  (€40 for members). To book a seat, send an email to actividades@sumilleresdenavarra.com before 17 February.

9, 15, 16, 23 and 24 February. Sommelier Pilar Cruces hosts several online activities this month for members of her Lust for Wine club. The first one, on the 9th, is a tutorial on how to order wine, followed by a live video about the wines of Castilla y León (15th) and a conversation with Miguel Muela from Aitaren Upategia (23rd). All club activities are at 20:30 and membership costs €6 +VAT per month. In addition, there will be two in-person activities in Burgos. On the 16th at 18:30 Pilar talks with Tao Plato, technical director of Península Vinicultores, in Un Podcast con mucho arte at the Centro de Arte in Burgos (CAB). Access is free with prior registration at cab@cajadeburgos.com. The final activity of the month is a seminar on Alsace in the Lust for Wine room (Plaza Alonso Martínez, 7A, Office 57, Burgos) Time: 20:30 - 21:45. Price: €45 (€42  Club members)

10 February. Wine store Majuelos Singulares in Valladolid (C/San Ignacio, 9) presents a blind tasting of five wines from various regions and varieties served with some tapas. Whoever guesses the most will win a bottle of wine. Hora: 20:00 Price: €15 

12 and 26 February. The DO Jumilla hosts a series of wine tastings on a boat powered by sustainable energy on the Segura River. They take place during the first half of the year and are hosted by the region's winemakers. This month's tastings will feature Bodegas Santiago Apostol (12th) and Bodegas BSI on the 26th. Tickets will be on sale the week of each of the tastings at a symbolic price and can be purchased on the link above.

16 February. Wine bar La Vinya del Senyor in Barcelona's central Plaça Santa Maria del Mar concludes its Guest Sommelier programme, featuring renowned sommeliers from around the country presenting their selection of bottles by the glass. Today Miguel Laredo, from Taberna Laredo in Madrid, closes the season. Time: 17:00 - 22:00. Price: varies according to the wine you drink. Attendance is free of charge, as it is not a closed tasting.

16, 18 and 24 February. Celler El Tros in Barcelona (Mallorca, 303) presents several on-site activities, among them three in Spanish, Catalan and English, respectively. On the 16th, it will host a blind tasting led by Adrián Martín, sommelier at restaurant Carles Abellan and Chao (19:30, €25 o €45 with dinner); on the 18, it's all about produce from the Alt Camp region in Tarragona, with wines by Celler Sanromà and food prepared by restaurant Llèpol (21:00, €48) whilst on the 24th there will be a tasting of English white and sparkling wines with Andrew (19:30, €20 or €40 with dinner).

17 February. One of the activities this month at Enoteca Barolo in Madrid (Príncipe de Vergara, 211) is a sushi pairing with chef Naomi Uemura. The menu will consist of: Balfegó bluefin tuna nigiri with Coto de Gomariz Finca O Figueiral 2017 (Ribeiro), braised pork belly with ginger and chives with Monmarthe Le Nid d'Aguge Extra-Brut 2014, fried soy packets stuffed with rice with Nicolas Rossignol 2018 (Burgundy), breaded bun stuffed with curry with Domaine Charvin 2019 (Côtes-du-Rhone), chicken and vegetable stew with Antonio Piernas Monastrell 2019 and cocoa mochi with Collantes Los Cuartillos Moscatel Oro. Time: 20:30 Price: €55 Reservations on +34 917 451 927

18, 19 and 20 February. Bodegas Valtravieso in Piñel de Arriba (Ribera del Duero) hosts a training course about respectful pruning taught by Roc Gramona and aimed at winegrowers and vineyard technicians, which adapts the Simonit & Sirch model to the reality of farming grapes in the region. Hours: 16:00-20:00 (18th) and 08:00-15:00 (19th and 20th). Price: €295.

22 and 24 February. Artean Wines training centre presents two activities this month. The first one, at Espacio Pangea in Bilbao (Plaza Indautxu), presents the wines, areas and local varieties of Portugal while on the 24th the tasting will take place at Plaza de Abastos in Vitoria, and is a tasting of eight wines from the Jura. Both tastings will be led by Ricardo Sanchoyarto. Time: 18:30 - 20:30 Price: €65 and €80 respectively.

23 February. Restaurant EntreVins in Valencia (c/Paz, 7) presents a tasting of Champagne from old reserves and different areas within the region. Four dishes will be served alongside the champagnes. Time: 20:45 Price: €45 Bookings on v.entrevins@entrevins.es

23 February. Restaurant Pura Cepa in Murcia (Plaza Cristo del Rescate, 8) presents a paired tasting with Bodegas Gratias, producers in Casas Ibáñez, on the border between Valencia and Albacete. Time: 21:00 Price: €36 

25 February. The Asociación de Amigos de la Vid y el Vino de Alcobendas (c/ Francisco Largo Caballero, Agrupación PSOE) in Madrid is back with a vertical tasting of Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles, a wine made from century-old Garnacha and Cariñena vines in Priorat. The vintages selected are from 2014 to 2018, as well as a rare 2014 Special Selection. Time: 19:30 Price: €25 (€20 members)

25 February. La Mercería wine store in Boadilla del Monte (Madrid) presents a tasting of wines made by some of the bodegas in Barrio de la Estación in Haro (La Rioja): Roda I, Viña Tondonia, Montes Obarenes by Gómez Cruzado, La Rioja Alta 904 and Prado Enea by Bodegas Muga. Time: 20:00 Price: €25