Wine tastings in June 2021

With the end of the state of alarm in Spain last month, more people being vaccinated and the warm weather, the wine tastings scene, both professional and amateur, seems to be more dynamic. It is not comparable to a "normal" June, but the pace of wine-related activities is gradually picking up. Below are some of the most important ones for now, but remember that we update the calendar mid-month with new events.

Until 2 June. This year, the culinary conference Madrid Fusión includes MF The Wine Edition, an event with presentations, tastings and round tables that seeks to strengthen the link between wine and food. Among the speakers are Peter Sisseck, Raúl Pérez, François Chartier, Pablo Alomar,  Norrel Robertson, Andreas Kubach MW, Pedro Ballesteros MW, Juancho Asenjo, Almudena Alberca MW and Ferrán Centelles. In addition to taking part in the conference onsite, there is also be the option of following the presentations online. Price for the three days: €300 (onsite) €100 (online)

June. The non-profit organisation Interprofesional del Vino de España offers free distance learning courses to promote wine culture for beginners and advanced learners. The training covers a wide range of topics, from tips on how to gift wine or where and how to buy it, as well as tastings and courses to learn to design a wine list.

3-13 and 18-20 June. The Most 2021 film and wine festival holds its tenth edition in two locations and on two separate dates. The first will take place at the Vinseum Auditorium in Vilafranca del Penedès and the second in Priorat. Both will feature wine related films and documentaries, in some cases shown at various wineries in Penedès. There will be a variety of tastings, including one of biodynamic champagnes and sparkling wines by Jaume Gramona and Xavier Roig and another with Ferran Centelles on the wines of the Catalan Sapiens. More information on opening times, prices and ticket sales can be found on the link above.

4, 11 and 18 June. As part of this month's Instagram Lives, Bodegas Gratias will chat with the following guest producers on its Instagram: Inma Badillo Viticultora (4th), Alvar de Dios (11th) and Finca El Molar (18th). Time: 19:30 In addition, as part of their crowdfunding project Y tú de quién eres, the four Valencian producers are raising funds to expand their plot of the rare Pintaill@ variety with 400 more plants and DNA analysis of Macabeo Negro, and are holding a prize draw for a magnum of their single-varietal Arroba among all the backers. More details in the link above.

5 June. Bodegas Ochoa presents a book tasting with the writer and journalist Sonsoles Onega as part of Mi Pueblo Lee festival in Olite (Navarra). Attendees will taste wine and olive oil grown in the estate and will be served a snack. Afterwards, there will be a tour of the winery before finishing in the barrel room, where the event will be held. There are 10 tickets for sale (€40)

5 and 6 June. The 22nd Rosé Day will once again be held in the town of San Martín de Unx (Navarra) with wine tastings, local craft sales, music, theatre, village walks and the conference "Past, present and future of women in wine" with winemaker Ana Martín and Irene Guede (La chica de la garnacha), who will also present her video focusing on the visibility of women in wine in San Martín de Unx. All activities must be booked in advance.

6 June. This Sunday's guest on Cork Talk, the Instagram Live broadcast of Master of Wine Tim Atkin, is the Riojan winemaker Sandra Bravo, from Sierra de Toloño, who will talk to the British journalist about the high-altitude Garnachas she grows in Rivas de Tereso and her interesting range of reds and whites from Villabuena. Time: 20:00 

6-7 June. More than 40 bodegas, among them producers such as Porcellànic, Frisach, Celler Sanromà, Bolet, Parés Baltà or Montrubí, will be present at the feria de los Vins Rebels (Rebel Wine Fair) in Vilafranca del Penedès near Barcelona serving samples of over 200 wines. Time: 11:00-19:00 Price: €15 (includes Riedel glass). 

7 June. "From Champagne to Oporto via Ribera del Duero" is the theme of the tasting that Javier Bañales (Bodegas Arzuaga) will conduct at the Association of Sommeliers from Navarra at the Hotel Don Carlos in Huarte, near Pamplona. The wines to be tasted are Philipponnat Royale Brut Reserve, Philipponnat Royale Non Dose, Philipponnat Vintage magnum, Arzuaga Laderas del Norte 2017, Arzuaga Crianza 2018, Arzuaga Reserva 2017, Arzuaga Reserva Especial 2015, Taylor's LBV and Taylor's Tawny Time: 18:00. Price: €70 (€40 for members). The deadline to take part in the tasting is June 5th. Tickets can be purchased by email actividades@sumilleresdenavarra.com

7, 14 and 28 June. A selection of producers and distributors will be pouring samples at the Verema Experience in Madrid (Hotel The Westin Palace, 7th), Mallorca (Meliá Palma Marina, 14th) and Murcia (Real Casino, 28th) where there will also be commented tastings hosted by various DOs. Hours: 12:00-15:00 and 17:00-21:00. Tickets cost €10 online and €15 at the gate.

9, 10, 16 and 17 June. This month Lavinia in Madrid presents three online tastings and one on-site. The first is a selection of wines from Jerez and Montilla (€70), the following day winemaker Ricardo Peñalba will offer an introduction to natural, organic and biodynamic wines (€95), while on the 16th five Fernando de Castilla from Jerez will be tasted (€40). Time: 19:00-20:30 To receive the wines of each tasting at home and take part in the Zoom broadcast, please contact Lavinia at least six days before the date via email laviniaempresas@lavinia.com Prices include delivery in Spain. On the 17th, in its La Moraleja Green location, Lavinia presents a get-together with producers, the first in person encounter in a long time, although still adhering to strict social distancing measures. Producers such as Tentenublo, Alvar de Dios, Abadía Retuerta, Alta Alella, Akilia and a few more will be present (€30).

From 11 June. Corpinnat hosts Gastronomic Festival with lunches and dinners prepared by 60 renowned Catalan restaurants such as Botafumeiro, Granja Elena, Gresca, Suculent, Aurt, El Motel or Xavier Pellicer, among others, which will be paired with Corpinnat wines in some unique spaces of the 11 bodegas in the group. Check the link for times and prices.

11-12 June. The Orígenes Gastronómicos festival, which seeks to project the traditional work of artisans focused on a sustainable future, will take place outdoors at the Palauet in the town of Teià (Barcelona). The menu consists of 15 artisan products and more than a dozen wines selected by Quim Vila from producers such as Anna Espelt, Carlos Martínez (L'Origan), Eulogio Pomares (Zárate), Jorge Monzón (Dominio del Águila), Daniel Landi and Fernando García (Comando G), Tomàs Cusiné, Javi Revert, Pilar Higuero (Lagar de Sabariz) and Gramona. The festival includes live music, creative workshops and three debates, including one with sommelier Josep Roca, in which the journalist Cristina Jolonch and Toni Massanés of the Alicia Foundation will also take part. Price: € 195 /day.

12-13 June. Temps de Vi in Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona) is a festival meant to expand wine culture. Over 15 Catalan bodegas will present their wines at tastings in the town and on board sailing boats. More details on the link above.

15, 16, 21 and 22 June. The first of this month's tastings at the Unión Española de Catadores in Madrid (Lope de Vega, 27) will focus on the Soria province of Ribera del Duero and will be presented by our editor and expert on the area, Amaya Cervera, featuring wines made by several of the producers she visited for her recent report in Spanish Wine Lover. The following day, Galician producer Xurxo Alba will present his wines from Rías Baixas, Valdeorras and Ribeira Sacra. On the 21st and 22nd, the tastings will focus on Piedmont with wines from the Barbera d'Asti region. All tastings start at 19:00 Price: €35 (20 € for members) for the first two tastings and €45 (30 € for members) for the second two tastings.

17 June. Familia Torres hosts the first Regenerative Viticulture Symposium, which will take place at Vinseum in Vilafranca del Penedès (Barcelona) and will be streamed live. The aim of the event is to explain what regenerative practices consist of and why they have the potential to mitigate the effects of climate change. Speakers include Daren J. Doherty, an Australian grower considered one of the world Keyline experts, an approach that combines water conservation and soil regeneration; Pilar Andrés, an expert in soil ecology and biodiversity; and farmer and agricultural engineer Francesc Font. Time: 10:00-13:00 Follow the webcast on the link above.

17 June. The Artean Wines training centre in Bilbao presents a seminar on Bordeaux and Burgundy wines with Ricardo Sanchoyarto, who will explain details about the two most prestigious dry wine French regions with the tasting of eight wines. Time: 18:30-20:30 Where: Espacio Pangea (Plz. Indautxu) Price: € 75

17 June. Elena Corzana, sommelier at hotel Palacio Tondón in Briñas (La Rioja), hosts an onsite tasting of Riesling and Gruner Veltliner wines with the following brands: Keller Riesling von der Fels 2018, Grosset Riesling Polish Hill 2017, Knoll Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2017 and Hiedler Familien Reserve Grüner Veltliner 2010. Time: 20:00 Price: €45 Send an email to infowinebar@palaciotondon.com to book your seat.

17-19 June. Bodegas Franco-Españolas resumes activities at the hundred-year-old bodega in Logroño with the I Concert Season Suena Verano con Diamante (Summer Sounds with Diamante). Each evening, doors will open at 19:30, before local DJs Tangerine Sistas liven up the evening with their music and a glass of Diamante at 20:00. From 22:00, coinciding with sunset, there will be performances by MÄBU (17th), Marta Soto (18th) and Travis Birds (19th). Price: €18.

17 and 30 June. This month's activities at Enoteca Barolo in Madrid (Príncipe de Vergara, 211) include two online tastings via Zoom. The first one features special rosés (Olivier Horiot Rosé Des Riceys 2015; Impromptu Rosé 2020. DOP Valencia and Ego vinum Bodega de las Estrellas. Vino de la Tierra de Castilla. Price: €85). The second is about Jura reds (Domaine de la Borde Julien Mareschal 2018, Domaine de la Pinte Poulsard 2018 and Domaine Dugois Trousseau 2017) Price:  €95. Both will be led by Juanma Ruiz Casado. All tastings are at 20:00 and include bottles of wine and home delivery. More information and reservations on +3491 745 19 27.

19 June. The town of Barberà de la Conca (Tarragona) hosts the 11th Festa del Trepat with a people’s breakfast, vineyard tours, an art and wine show and music. ou can check the programme on this this link

19-20 June. A Emoción dos Viños is a wine fair that brings together small producers from Galicia and wine regions of Spain and Portugal who try to transmit a sense of place in their wines and are respectful of their vineyards and their customers. It is a great opportunity to meet growers and taste wines with soul such as Fazenda Augalevada, Cume do Avia, Pedro Mendez, Lorenzo Bescansa or Conexión Mandeo among other Galicians as well as non-locals such as Charlotte Allen, Casa Agrícola, La Furtiva, Luis Moya, Carmelo Peña, Titerot Akaet, Tantaka, Oriol Artigas, La Loba or Goyo García Vidadero. As in 2020, the event will take place in the Monastery of Oia (Pontevedra). Time: 11:00-14:00 and 17:00-21:00 on Saturday and 11:00-14:00 on Sunday. Tickets cost  €25 for both days (€15 for one day only) and can be purchased by e-mail emociondosvinhos@gmail.com

22 June. Hosted by Bodegas Ramón Bilbao, Spanish Wine Academy Somms Edition brings together renowned sommeliers like Andy Myers MS, Roberto Durán, Silvia García, David Robledo, Carlos Echapresto, Paula Menéndez, Janice Wang or Marie Paule Herman, among others, in a digital event to discuss experiences, challenges and opportunities for the wine sector in post Covid times. Time: 17:00

24 June. The second part of La Primavera de Futuro Viñador will be held at Adega Algueira in Ribeira Sacra. Experts in soil science, natural history and rural development, among other fields, will take part in the event, which will focus on smallholdings and biodiversity. The speeches can be followed live on the link above. Time: 10:00-13:30

26 June. Innoble is undoubtedly one of the most fun and eagerly awaited wine festivals for lovers of fortified wines. This year it will be held again at the Posada del Palacio in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and although the identity of the producers who will be pouring their wines is still unknown, tickets are likely to be sold out by the time you read this. If so, there is always the option of buying one of the T-shirts on sale for €29,90 in the online shop, with slogans such as "Contengo sulfitos" (I contain sulphites) or "Estoy plantando viña vieja" (I'm planting old vines). Price: €59.90 

28-29 June. The University of Castilla-La Mancha presents Psychosocial Factors in the Perception of Wine Purchasing, an online summer course to delve into the psychology of wine buyers. It will address the deceptive perception of wine across all areas: Neural, design, smell, taste, multisensory, culture or experience and will feature speakers such as José Peñín (tasting deceptions), Ferran Centelles (the ritual), Inés Kuster (consumer studies), José Manuel Elvira (E-commerce) and Paco Berciano (distribution and retail sales), Esther Pinuaga (organic wines and their myths), Samuel Miranda (neuromarketing), François Chartier (multisensory), Ricardo Moreno (the label), Andreas Kubach (the trade), Francisco Higón (the forum and word of mouth), Vicente Dalda (wine.com and experience) and Luis Vicente Elías (wine culture and its anthropology). Registration is open until 18 June. When: 10:00 - 18:00 Price: € 40