Wine tastings in March 2018

March is a great time to sip your way across the peninsula! The first week of the month is the time to be in La Rioja where Ollauri’s Wine Week brings together an exciting lineup of presentations and tastings followed by Bodegas Familiares de Rioja’s showroom to present their 2017 vintage. Next head east to Barcelona where the Passeig de Gourmets is bringing tasting events, special menus and show cookings. End the month down south where Vinos de España, una Pasión will get more than 40 wineries together in Cordoba to celebrate Spanish wine! 

1 March. Enoteca Barolo in Madrid is hosting a vertical tasting of Priorat’s most legendary wines: L’Ermita de Alvaro Palacios. Wine writer and longtime wine educator Juancho Asenjo will lead the tasting, which will also include a short history of Priorat wines. The tasting will include the 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007 vintages of L’Ermita along with Finca Dofí 2014 and Gratallops 2015. Time: 20:30 Price: €140

2 March. Julian Palacios hosts his third technical workshop on viticulture at the Centro temático del vino Villa-Lucía in Laguardia (Rioja Alavesa). This year’s theme is How to grow vineyards that will live for 100 years and includes presentations by Julian Palacios, Juan Carlos Sancha, José Ramón Lisarrague, Cristina Alcalá and our editor Amaya Cervera among others. Time: 09:00 - 13:30 Price: €60

Until March 3. Ollauri (La Rioja) celebrates its 19th Wine Week with a series of presentations on various wine-related topics. On March 3rd the following wineries will present their latest vintages: Abel Mendoza, Concejo de Ollauri, Martínez Palacios, Valenciso, Marqués de Terán, Conde de los Andes, Bodegas Beronia, Bodega Lanzaga, Miguel Merino and Gómez Cruzado along with olive oils from Almazara El Alberque. The presentations are free and will begin at 20:00. The tasting takes place Saturday, March 3rd from 11:30 until 14:30. Price: €10. More information on the Amigos de Ollauri Facebook page.

3 March. Lola Nuñez, director of the Denomination of Origin Ucles, will lead a tasting of six wines from the region at the Hotel Cumbria in Ciudad Real. The tasting is hosted by Ahire and will include information on proper wine service, pairings and wine storage. Price: €15 for Ahire members. €20 for non-members. Time: 12:30 - 14:00

Saturdays and Sundays in March. Bodegas Bilbainas in Haro (Rioja) is offering a three-wine tasting along with a winery visit with their winemaker. The tasting includes their Viña Pomal Crianza Selección 500, Viña Pomal Reserva 106 Barricas and La Vicalanda Reserva. Time: 11:30 Price: €20 per person. Bookings on +34 610 486 893 or email reservas@bodegasbilbainas.com

5 March. Bodegas Familiares de Rioja will present the wines of the 2017 vintage in La Rioja, one of the most challenging in recent memory. The event takes place in the main lobby of the Palacio de Congresos Riojafórum in Logroño and will feature 23 wineries from throughout DO Rioja. Price: €10. Time: 19:00 - 21:00

5 March. Roberto Santana and Alfonso Torrente, founders of Envínate which focuses on small production wines in various regions of Spain, will lead a tasting at Essencia wine bar (Zabaleta, 42) in San Sebastián. They will present their organic wines from Montilla and Ribera del Guadiana. Food will be served after the tasting. Price: €65 Time: 19:15

5 March. The Experience Verema celebrates their second edition in Seville where more than 40 wineries and distributors will present their wines. The event kicks off with a tasting of wines from DO Ribera del Duero. There will be a guided tasting of wines from DO Cava at 17:30. Participation in this event is free but a €5 deposit is requested. Time: 11:00 - 21:00

6 March. Cuvee 3000 distributor Roberto Aguado will travel to Cork in Bilbao (Licenciado Poza, 45) to present a selection of natural wines from some of the most important natural winemakers in Europe. Tapas will be served to accompany the wines. Price: €30. Time: 20:00

8 March. As part of their Winetime series of tastings, WSET instructor Jeni Wilson from Vinclass has organized a tasting of Garnachas. The tasting will take place at La Picara in Aranda del Duero (Santa María, 2). Time: 20:30. Price: €15. Bookings on +34 947 559616

8 March. Fintan Kerr, aka Wine Cuentista, presents The New Face of Spanish Garnacha, a tasting that will look at some of the more recent, acclaimed producers of Garnacha from around Spain and how Garnacha wines have changed stylistically over the years. The wines will be: Costumbres Tinto 2015 (Rioja), Sotorrondero 2015 (Mentrida),  Pasos de San Martin 2015 (Navarra), Frontonio Telescopico Garnacha 2014 (Valdejalón), Marañones 2015 (Vinos de Madrid), Cuvila 2013 (Montsant).  Location: Carrer San Pere Mes Baix 92, Barcelona. Time: 19:00 Price: €30 Reservations: fintankerr@winecuentista.com

8 - 18 March. For ten days the Passeig de Gracia and the surrounding streets of Barcelona will celebrate the Passeig de Gourmets. Twenty restaurants are participating in the festival which features activities like a Small Plates Route (€7), special tasting menus (40-50€), Cooking with Four Hands where two chefs team up for one night to prepare a special menu and free Show Cookings from some of Barcelona’s top chefs. All of the activities are accompanied by wines from Familia Torres and cava Gramona. 

9 March. Wine shop CooperVinos in Zaragoza is hosting a tasting of five white wines. From a dry Tokaj from Hungary to the wine that was named the best white Ribeiro in 2017, the goal of this tasting is to see white wine in a new light. Time: 20:30. Price: €12 with a 10% discount on all of the wines tasted. Bookings on +34 976 961 528

10 March. More than 40 wineries are participating in Durango Ardo Saltsan wine fair in Durango (Vizcaya). The fair features demonstrations and wine tastings along with tastings of gourmet products such as Iberian ham, olive oil, smoked salmon, smoked tuna, Iberian tomatoes, cheese, anchovies and coffee. Some of the wineries present include Solabal, Del Monge Garbati (Viña Ane), Alfredo Maestro Tejero, Vintae, Pago de los Capellanes, Iñurrieta, Agustí Torelló Mata, Aleph Winery and Recaredo, among others. The fair takes place in the Landako Gunea center. Price: €17 which includes a wine glass. Time: 11:00 - 20:00

12 March. Sommeliers and neuroscience experts from around the world will meet at Brain & Wine in Barcelona which features a day’s worth of presentations, tastings and interactive installations. There will be symposiums in both English and Spanish with topics such as The Science and Pseudoscience of Wine or The Art and Science of Pairing Wine and Music. Time: 09:15 - 18:00. Price: €49 (€25 for students). Location: Hotel Catalonia Barcelona Plaza (Plaça Espanya, 6-8)

12 March. Carles Ortiz, the owner and winemaker at the winery Família Nin-Ortiz, will present seven of his biodynamic wines from Priorat at El Mostrador de Vila Viniteca (General Díaz Porlier, 45) in Madrid. The wines featured are: Planetes de Nin Carinyena Blanca Reserva 2016, Planetes de Nin Garnatxa Vi Natural d'Àmfora 2016, Planetes de Nin 2015, Nit de Nin La Coma d'En Romeu 2015, Nit de Nin Mas d'en Caçador 2015, Selma 2014 and Terra Vermella de Nin 2015. Time: 20:00 - 22:00. Price: €51 (€45 for members).

14 March.  Antonio Flores, master blender and winemaker at González Byass, presents a tasting of their oloroso sherries from vintages in the 1960s, 70s and 80s at the Union de Española de Catadores (Lope de Vega, 27) in Madrid. Time: 19:00 Price: €40 non-members, €25 members.

15 March. David González, winemaker at Bodegas Gómez Cruzado, the smallest of all of the producers in Barrio de la Estación in Haro, will be at Bodega Urbana in Bilbao (Gran Vía, 66) presenting some of their wines: Gómez Cruzado Blanco 2º año 2016, Gómez Cruzado Crianza 2014, Gómez Cruzado Vendimia seleccionada 2016, Honorable 2014, Cerro las Cuevas  2015, Pancrudo 2015 and Montes Obarenes 2014 Price: €10 Inscriptions on +34 94 4416181

15 March. José Manuel Pérez Ovejas, technical director at Viña Pedrosa in Ribera del Duero, will present a tasting dinner at Los Cabezudos Restaurant (Antonio Agustín 12-14) in Zaragoza. The dinner will include the following wines: Cepa Gavilán Crianza 2014, Viña Pedrosa Crianza 2015, Viña Pedrosa Finca la Navilla Reserva 2014, Viña Pedrosa Gran Reserva 2011 and Pérez Pascuas Gran Selección 2004. Time: 21:00. Price: €60. 

16 March. Wine store TomeVinos Pozuelo (Avda. Europa nº 24) in Madrid offers the possibility to taste two Abadía Retuerta wines for free: Abadía Retuerta Selección Especial and Pago Negralada. Time: 19:00 Booking is required on +34 91 1555600 

16 March. Wine retailer La Mercería in Boadilla del Monte (Avenida Siglo XXI, 4) near Madrid presents a series of tastings of wines born in different types of soils starting with the following slate soil wines: Cien Montañas Albarín Negro (DOP Cangas), La Garnacha de Arrayán (VT Castilla y León), Filitas y Lutitas (DO Málaga), Algueira Pizarra (DO Ribeira Sacra) and Terroir al Limit Pedra de Guix (DOCa Priorat). Time: 20:30 Price: €16 Bookings on +34637 852 998

21 March. Restaurant Monvínic in Barcelona (Diputació, 249) organizes a tasting of German wines led by respected importer Lluís Pablo, who will guide participants to discover the extraordinary diversity of terroirs and wine styles. The list of wines on the tasting is not available but Monvínic promises they are "fantastic". Time: 20:00 Price: €58

21 March. Santi Rivas, the most ingenuous member of Colectivo Decantado, presents a tasting at Wilda Madrid (León, 9) called "Natural Enemies: Spain vs France" with four natural wines: Salvaje Blanco 2016 (Barranco Oscuro) VS Nature 2016 (Domaine Julien Meyer) and Cadario 2013 (Dominio del Urogallo) VS Morgon Tradition 2013 (Marcel Lapierre). Time: 20:00 Price: €20 Book your tickets via email: sonia@wilda.es

21 March. The Wine Up Tour hosts a wine pairing dinner at the restaurant Madridaje in Madrid  The dinner includes nine wines, each paired with a tapa. Wine Up author Joaquín Parra will present the tasting which features wines such as Agustí Torelló Mata Gran Reserva Barrica 2011, Verum V Tempranillo Reserva de Familia 2010 and Alfonso Oloroso by Bodegas González Byass, among others. Time: 21:00. Price €25 Bookings on +34 910 41 87 16

22 March. The 5th edition of Vinos de España, una Pasión, (Wines from Spain, a Passion) brings together an impressive list of wineries and winemakers from across Spain for a day-long tasting event at Bodegas Campos in Córdoba. Organized by sherry producer Emilio Hidalgo, the event features more than 40 wineries including Albamar, Abadía Retuerta, Scala Dei, Jiménez Landi, Recaredo, Familia Castaño, Delgado Zuleta, La Rioja Alta, Alvear or Marqués de Murrieta, among others. Time: 11:30 - 19:30 Price: €25

22 March. Vila Viniteca in Barcelona (Agullers, 7) hosts a tasting in conjunction with Riedel to will explore how the shape and size of the wine glass influence the tasting experience. Price: €25. Time: 20:30 - 22:00

23 March. Goñi Ardoteka in San Sebastián (Albamar, 3) organizes a dinner inspired on biodynamic winegrowing with dishes prepared by chefs Carles Tarrasó and Camilo Ruiz and wines chosen by sommelier Enrique Oses: Cava Rimarts Brut Nature Reserva, Belmont by Mas d'En Gil, Riesling Zusslin by Domaine Valentin Zusslin, Phincas Tinto by Bodegas Bhilar, Cruz de Alba from Ribera del Duero and La Cosa by Bodegas Maestro Tejero. Time: 19:30 Price: € 50

24 March. Bodega Santa Cecilia in Madrid (Blasco de Garay, 74) presents a tasting of international cheese and wine paired like this: Reblochon with blackberry jam and Beaujolais Nouveau Ane & Fils, Safrankase with saffron and Villa Wolf Pinot Gris, goat's cheese and Matarromera Crianza, Sua Maesta Il Nero with Montepulciano Biológico and Stilton with Silva Reis LBV (Oporto) Time: 20:00 Price: €25

24 March. The town of Porrera in Priorat celebrates Tasta Porrera, a show in which participants will be able to taste and purchase with a discount the wines made by producers in the village. There will also be food prepared by restaurant Quinoa in Falset and live music. Time: 11:00 

26 March. The Association of Sommeliers in Navarra hosts a tasting of eau de vie and spirits from Galicia led by Pepe Beiro, owner of store O Beiro in Santiago de Compostela and vice-president of Association of Sommeliers in Galicia. The tasting includes three white eaux de vie (Godello, Mencía and Albariño),  a barrel-aged eau de vie, a herbs eau de vie and herb and coffee spirits. The tasting will take place at Hotel Don Carlos in Pamplona and will be followed by a dinner. Time: 19:00. Price: €40 (€25members) Book you place via email on actividades@sumilleresdenavarra.com

27 March. Joan Rubio Sadurni, the former technical director at Cava Recaredo, will present his own organic wines at La Vinicola (calle Girona, 123) in Barcelona. The tasting includes skin-contact wines made from Xarel-lo and Macabeo. The tasting will also include artisanal cheeses. Time: 19:30 - 21:00. Price: €22. Bookings on +31 690 85 63 60 or email jordi@lavinicola.cat

28 and 30 March. Bodega Alta Alella (Camí Baix de Tiana, 5) in Alella (Barcelona) celebrates the Holy Week with a tasting of three wines paired with three types of buñuelos, traditional Easter pastries. They’ll pair their cava and two sweet wines with classic buñuelos, Empordá buñuelos and buñuelos with truffle. Time: 13:00- 14:00. Price: €15. Bookings on +34 628 624 182

29 March-1 April. During Easter, Rioja producer and professor Juan Carlos Sancha hosts visits to his old vineyards in Baños del Río Tobía followed by a tasting of his old vine  Garnacha wines directly from barrel and clay amphorae. Time: 12:00 Price: €15 (includes return transport from the winery to the vineyard). Further information on +34 941 23 21 60

30 March. As part of its Easter activities, Villa-Lucía Wine Centre in Laguardia (Rioja Alavesa) hosts a vertical tasting of Merus.4, a 100% old-vine Tempranillo made by Bodegas Lar de Paula in neighbouring Elvillar. Vintages 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2012 will be tasted before serving a snack made with local products. Time: 12.00 Price: €22 Bookings on +34 945 600 032

31 March and 2 April. Bodegas Bentomiz hosts a dinner and concert at their winery in Sayalonga (Málaga). The dinner features five dishes paired with three wines while guitarist, poet and singer Keith James performs songs of Leonard Cohen. Price: €59. Bookings on reservas@bodegasbentomiz.com

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