Wine tastings in June 2018

The warm, sunny weather —so late to arrive this year— is the perfect setting to host wine festivals for the general public across the country. There are a bunch of them along the Mediterranean coast but Rioja is the focus of wine attention this month as it hosts the third Haro Station Wine Experience, a high-profile seminar by the Institute of Masters of Wine in Logroño and Haro’s Wine Battle where locals and visitors will dress in white to take part in the infamous festival held in the town every 29 June.

These are some of the leading events for wine lovers in Spain during this month, but remember we update the calendar throughout the month as we hear of new tastings and festivals. Come back to read further updates!

1 June. Continuing with its series of tastings dedicated to women, wine store La Mercería in Boadilla del Monte (Avenida Siglo XXI, 4) presents wines made by the following producers: Laurel de Daphne Glorian, Montbourgeau Cuvée Special de Nicole Deriaux), Haute Côtes Nuits Cuvée Marine de Anne Gros, Teroldego Rotaliano de Elisabetta Foradori and SP68 de Arianna Occhipinti. Further information on +34 637 852998

1 June. Wine grower and biodynamic producer Orlando Lumbreras presents the wines he makes in Sierra de Gredos (plus one or two surprises) at La Ruta del Vino in Santander (Arrabal, 18). The following wines will be tasted: Mil Monts 2017 Garnacha, Sade 2016 skin contact Albillo Real, Punto G 2016 Garnacha single vineyard, Malandro 2016 Garnacha and Vertixe 2016 Mencía from Ribeira Sacra. After the tasting, there will be a dinner at La Cigaleña. Time: 20:30 Price: €20 Further information on +34 942 21 65 03

1-3 June. For the third consecutiva year, DO Catalunya celebrates Electronic Wine Sunset, a festival aimed at the young which is part of Temps de Vi (9-11 June), in which over 40 producers will present their wines, with the chance to do paired tastings on board a boat. The Electronic Wine Sunset starts at 19:00 in Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona) with DJ Ven tu Music and wines from the region.

2 June. Producers in Gratallops (Priorat) along with local authorities organize the first edition of Tastets de Gratallops, a small fair with wines from this town in DOQ Priorat accompanied by other local products. Some of the producers who will be at the tasting are Álvaro Palacios, Clos Figueras, Clos Mogador, Mas Igneus, Meritxell Pallejà or Trossos del Priorat. Further information and bookings on this email address: tastetsdegratallops@gmail.com Time: 17:00 - 21:00 Price: €20  

2 June. The Fira del Vi Solidari (Charity Wine Festival) is born under the auspices of seven Catalan producers who want to do their bit for medical investigations to fight against children’s cancer through the charity Obra Social de Sant Joan de Deu. During the festival, which will be held in Bancal d’alegro del Masroig, participants will be able to taste the wines of these wineries, plus a few from Jerez, and purchase a charity wine made by the winemakers with labels designed by local students. Time: 09:00-14:00 and from 18:00 onwards.

5 June. Enoteca Barolo (Príncipe de Vergara, 211) in Madrid presents Australian winemaker Ian Hongell, in charge of the wines at Torbreck, one of Barossa’s most respected winemakers. These are the wines on the tasting: The Factor 2015, The Descendant 2015, Les Amis 2004, The Struie 2016, The Steading 2016 and The Steading 2017 Time: 20:30 Price: €50 (Participants will receive a €20 voucher to purchase Torbreck wines throughout June).

6 June. Juanma Ruiz Casado presents at Unión Española de Catadores in Madrid (Lope de Vega, 27) a session to discover Rufete, a grape variety which is mostly present in granite and slate soils in Sierra de Francia in Salamanca. The following wines will be at the tasting: Viñas del Cámbrico, La Zorra, Cuarta Generación, Mandrágora, Ruchel and wines by David Sampedro and Ismael Gozalo. Time: 19:00 Price: €35(€20 members)

8 June. Wine retailer Lavinia (Ortega y Gasset, 16) in Madrid presents a sake tasting with Natsuki Kikuya, Museum of Sake founder and creator of the WSET Sake course, and Pablo Alomar Salvioni, importer and distributor of sake in Spain. Several styles of sake will be available with explanations about winemaking and pairings. Time: 18:30-20:30 Price: €35 

9 June. The appellation Navarra supports the first edition of Turmalina Music & Wine Fest which takes place at Pamplona’s Ciudadela, with the presence of 27 bodegas: Aroa, Dominio Lasierpe, Sarría, Malón de Echaide, Sada, San Martín, Valdelares, Aguirre, Castillo de Monjardín, Ochoa, Olimpia, Pagos de Aráiz, Piedemonte, Príncipe de Viana, Quaderna Vía, Valcarlos, Vega del Castillo, Tandem, Emilio Valerio, Máximo Abete, Inurrieta, Navarrsotillo, Unsi, Armendáriz, Liédena, Alconde and La Casa de Lúculo. There will be tastings with wines served in the traditional manner but also as a base for cocktails and low-alcohol mixers. Part of the proceeds will be destined to a cultural initiative to teach music to children living in Río de Janeiro’s favelas. Time: From 12:30 Price: €30 € plus expenses. 

10 and 24 de June. Bodega Bentomiz, located on the Sierra de Málaga, near the village of Sayalonga, combines wine and music at their Mountain Wine & Music 2018 with a series of summer concerts that start with a flamenco concert by guitarrist Daniel Casares (10th) followed by jazz with saxophonist Ernesto Aurignac. Time: 18:00 Price: €35 (includes concert, a glass of wine and a tapa) Information and bookings on +34 951 386 706

11 June. Over 60 producers and distributors will attend Experiencia Verema in Madrid (Hotel The Westin Palace) with their wines. The show will also host three led tastings with DO Rueda, DO Cava and DO Campo de Borja. Time: 12:00-21:00. Price: €5 online and €10 at the gate.

11 June. The II Salón Selección Peñín in Tenerife takes place today with a selection of some of Spain’s top wines (90 points +) and wines with the best QPR (3, 4 or 5 stars) according to Guía Peñín. The event will be held at Iberostar Grand Hotel Mencey (Dr. Jose Naveiras, 38) in Tenerife. Time: 16.00 - 20.00 Price: €15

11 June. This agenda does not usually include events from outside Spain, but being Perpignan -barely an hour's drive from Girona- we think it's worth alerting our readers of Be Ranci, a festival of dry oxidative wines from Europe which is organized by Wines of Roussillon. Three Catalan regions where rancio wines are produced will be present (Priorat, Empordà, Terra Alta) as well as Jerez with its dry sherries. Time: 10:00-22:00 Price: €10

14 June. Vinacoteca store in Barcelona (València, 595) hosts a cava and champagne day with the following guest producers: Codorníu, Delamotte, Gramona, Juvé & Camps, Llopart, L’Encinar, L’Origan, Mascaró, Maestros, Moët & Chandon, Recaredo, Rovellats, Ruinart and Torelló. Time: 16:30-20:30 Price: €5

14-17 June. The Institute of Masters of Wine has chosen Logroño to host its 9th Simposium with debates, talks and tastings and some of the main players of the world’s wine scene: dozens of MW, as well as producers, sommeliers and experts, All the talks will be held in English and are open to anyone who can afford the entry ticket: €1,200

15-17 June. Merchants at Santa Caterina Market in Barcelona alongside the Association Enjoy Wine host for the second consecutive year the Catalan Wine and Food Market Products Fair. Held outdoors in front of the market, the fair will have seven stands with products from the market stalls and six wines from across Catalonia. There will be openworkshops and tastings, including one with cava producer Gramona. Time: 19:30 Price: €19

15-17 June. The town of Barberà de la Conca (Tarragona) organizes the 9th Festa del Trepat with talks, vineyard tours, an art show, children's activities, guided winery tours, concerts, theatre and tastings.

15-17 June. As a taster to the Mediterranean Games 2018 beginning on 22 June, Tarragona hosts at Rambla Nova its  20th Wine Fair, with the presence of 22 bodegas from the DO's four regions. As well as wines, there will be music and tastings of cold meats, cheese and other local products served at half a dozen stands. Opening hours: From 18:00 on Friday and from 12:00 to 15:00 and from 18:00 to 23:00 on Saturday and Sunday. Price: €12 (six tickets)

16 June. The producers in Barrio de la Estación in Haro host the third edition of which includes a tasting of 14 wines, eight top quality bites made by local Michelin-starred chefs Francis Paniego, Ignacio Echapresto and Juan Ángel Rodrigálvarez, plus a wealth of activities in the bodegas and live music. For those traveling from Madrid and other cities in the Basque Country, Pamplona or Logroño, there are direct shuttle services. Time: 11:00 - 18:00 Price €82.40 (€100 on the day)

16 and 17 June. Adrada Ecológica, in the DO Ribera del Duero, organizes a organic agriculture seminar focused on vineyard and wine. Led by Jesús Lázaro de Diego, grape grower and producer at this winery in Adrada de Haza (Burgos), the course is meant to add information about organic grape growing in a practical, hands-on way. It is aimed at wine professionals and anyone wishing to expand their knowledge on this field. The course includes a vertical tasting of Kirios de Adrada organic wines. Price: €120 (25% discount for students and persons below 25 years of age)

18 June. The I Professional Sommelier Meeting in Ciudad Real, held in the city's Chamber of Commerce (Lanza, 2) will include two presentations by Fernando Mora MW as well as the owner of Zaragoza restaurant Jesús Solanas, who will discuss viticulture and sommelierie respectively. There will also be a round table   called ‘From the vine to the glass. The importance of care throughout the process’ and the chance to taste the wines of Bodegas Frontonio. Time:10:15 Free. 

20 June. David Martínez, sommelier at El Mostrador de Vila Viniteca in Madrid (General Díaz Porlier, 45) presents a tasting of fragrant, light reds which, aside from their varieties, climate, elevation or winemaking, invite aficionados to enjoy a second glass. The following wines will be on taste: Philippe Bornard Ploussard Point Barre 2016, Artífice Tinto 2016, Fedellos Do Couto Bastarda 2016, La Bruja de Rozas 2016, Domaine Romaneaux La Souteronne 2016, Niepoort Doda 2012 and Philippe Pacalet Chambolle-Musigny 2013. Time: 20:00 Price: €45

21 June. La Tintorería store in Madrid (Gurtubay, 4) presents a tasting of wines by Pierre Amiot et Fils, a family producer who has been tending their vines for five generations in Morey St. Denis and Gevrey-Chambertin (15%) in Burgundy. Wines on the tasting: Morey St. Denis blanc 2016, Morey St. Denis 2016, Gevrey-Chambertin 2016, Morey St. Denis 1cru "Les Ruchots" 2014, Morey St. Denis 1cru "Aux Charmes" 2012, Morey St. Denis 1cru "Les Blanchards" 2012, Gevrey-Chambertin 1cru "Les Combottes" 2014 and Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2014. Time: 20:30 Price: €60

26 June. Italian wine expert Antonio Giuliodori presents at Monvinic Barcelona (Diputación, 249) a tasting of wines from this Mediterranean country with the following brands: Le Due Terre Sacrisassi Bianco 2013, Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva Villa Bucci Magnum 1998, Ca' Rugate Veneto IGT Bucciato Magnum 2005, Valfaccenda Roero Valmaggiore 2013, Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2007, Romano dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore Vigneto di Monte Lodoletta 2004, Hofstätter Pinot Nero Barthenau 1991, Gaja Barbaresco 1997, Montertine Montevertine 1989, Col d'Orcia Brunello Riserva 1973, Marco De Bartoli Vecchio Samperi Ventennale and Donnafugata Moscato Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryè 2009. Time: 20:00 Price: €69

27-28 June. Sherry wines will have extra visibility over these two days in bars and restaurants in central Madrid thanks to ‘Todo empieza con un, ¿y si …?’, a campaign to proof the virtues of finos, manzanillas and creams on their own or in cocktails like Rebujito&Mint and Cream&Tea. You may check the list of venues hosting this initiative on the link above. Time: 19:00-23:00

28 June. As WSET courses gain popularity in Spain, Master of Wine Frank Smulders presents in Bodegas Gomez Cruzado de Haro (La Rioja) a WSET Diploma tasting tutorial, a level that is currently unavailable in Spain. The tasting will be conducted in English and will include a selection of wines chosen by Smulders. Time: 19:00-21:00 Price: €30 per person. Further information and bookings on +34 947 559616 

28 June. Restaurant Los Cabezudos in Zaragoza (Antonio Agustín 12-14) presents a paired menu with Champagne Deutz and wines by González Byass. Led by sommelier Juanma Terceño, the dishes will be paired with the following wines: Champagne Deutz Brut Classic and Rosé, Croft Aperitif, Tío Pepe, Begonia Verdejo, Pazos de Luscious 2016 and Noé PX Muy Viejo VORS. Time: 21:00 Price: €65

28 June. Bodegas Franco-Españolas in Logroño opens its doors to 400 wine lovers who will take part in Territorio Bordón Festival with a tasting of three wines (Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva) led by Rubén Provedo, winemaker at Franco-Españolas. There will also be juggling with leds, music, food and a virtual photocall. Time: 20:00-23:00

29 June. Every year on this date Haro holds its traditional Battle of Wine with around 10,000 people marching up to the fields of San Felices, on the outskirts of this Rioja town, with one thing in mind: to throw as much wine to each other as possible -130,000 litres last year. The Battle of Wine, as it is known, starts with a mass early in the morning and finishes with a popular lunch. Thousands of young locals attend but the fiesta is increasingly enjoyed by foreign tourists, mostly from Australia and the US. Further details about the fiesta on this link.

30 June. Aitor Trabado, author of blog Orange Wines, will be today at Gran Café El Mercante in Bilbao (Areatza, 3) presenting eight wines followed by a few bites to eat. Time: 17:00 Price: €35 Bookings on +34 670 336406

30 June. The third edition of Tasta Vilella will take place at plaça de les Eres de la Vilella Alta (Tarragona) with the presence of the following producers in the DOQ Priorat: Mas Alta, Estriacus, Prior Pons, Ritme Celler, Roca de les dotze, Vinícola del Priorat and Cartoixa de Montsalvat. There will also be food stands and music with Jazz Attack Quartet. Time: 20:00 

30 June. The 5th Eclipsi de Garnatxa Blanca Festival in Gandesa (Tarragona) features over 25 producers from DO Terra Alta and many of their wines, made mostly from this variety and paired with food prepared by many of the area's restaurants. There will also be live music by Montse Castellà. Time: 20:00 Price: €25 Further information and tickets on +34 977 421278

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