Wine tastings in May 2023

As the days grow longer, wine tourism activities increase, with the return of established events and festivals such as Wine Days Mallorca, Vinos de España Una Pasión in Granada and the Villabuena Wine Festival. The usual shops and restaurants, which organise wine tastings month after month, are also on our agenda. Don't forget to come back to this page for updates.

1-30 May. The 1st of May is the last day of the Fira del Vi in Falset and, in addition to the fair, there will be a tasting of El Noms de la Terra wines organised by the DOQ Priorat and another of the six DO Montsant areas, as well as a lunch with a vertical tasting of Finca Dofí by Álvaro Palacios at Celler de l'Aspic. The rest of the month will see more activities in the region, with visits and tastings at over 30 wineries in Priorat and Montsant, paired meals, cultural activities and a tasting led by Armando Guerra and Jordi Melendo at Aguiló Vinatería on the Sherry-Champagne connection. For more information on dates and times, click on the link above.

4 May. As part of the Añada Conocimiento educational programme of the Rioja Alavesa Wine Route, Pilar Cruces, sommelier and owner of Lust for Wine, will lead a workshop on creativity in wine communication, sales and tourism. Hours: 10:00 - 14:00 and 16:00 - 19:00. Price: €110

5 May. This month Vila Viniteca presents several activities in its Barcelona and Madrid shops. At its Agullers 7 location, the calendar starts with a cheese and wine pairing ( 5th, €79), a vertical of Gran Caus White with Jordi Esteve (9th, €69), an introduction to Bordeaux wines (11th, €65), Priorat wines (25th, €69) and an introduction to Sherry (26th, €65). In Madrid (Fernán González, 29 and General Díaz Porlier, 45), on the 16th Pedro Ruiz Aragoneses of Alma Carraovejas will be there with a selection of his group's wines (€69), followed by a selection of whites and reds from Burgundy (18th, €79) and the wines of Cims de Porrera with winemaker Adrià Pérez (25th, €55). All tastings start at 20:00 and finish at 22:00.

Saturdays in May. As part of the Fira del Vi, Celler de L'Aspic (Miquel Barceló 31) in Falset (Tarragona) presents several paired menus: 2018 white single-varietal wines from various producers (Silex, As Sortes, Roulot etc) with Enric Soler (6th), wines from Estones Vins with Sergi Móntala (13th), vertical tasting of Mas d'en Compte (1998-2016) with Joan Sangenís (20th) and Riesling terroirs with Michael Wöhr (27th). Time: 13:30 or 20:30. Reservations required on +34 977 831 246.

6 May. The village of Villabuena in Alava is holding the second edition of the Villabuena Wine Fest, a wine and gastronomy festival that brings together the town's main wineries and restaurants. There will be stands with wines from the 19 participating bodegas, four tasting sessions with producers, cooking workshops, music and a photography competition. Time: 12:00-21:00 Price: From €20.

6 May. The third edition of the Saltsan Txan! wine festival will be held at the Hotel Olajauregi in Durango (Bizkaia). Wines from different regions, DOs and producers such as Itsasmendi, Ximénez Spínola and DG Viticultors will be featured. Sweet wines will be the focus of the festival. Time: 12:00 Price: €30 More information on +34 946 20 08 64

6-28 May. Cava celebrates the arrival of spring by opening the doors of 16 wineries over the weekends with a series of activities for tourists of all ages. Canals & Muné, Covides, Giró Ribot, Juvé & Camps, Carles Andreu, Sumarroca, Vilarnau and Alta Alella, among others, welcome the public to a spring festival with activities ranging from vineyard walks to electric bike tours, tastings, food and wine pairings and family activities. Prices vary depending on the activity.

7 May. The Natural Wine Show in Madrid, organised by the Association of Natural Wine Producers, is being held today in the Demo 1 area on the penthouse floor of Chamartín Station, with the participation of more than 30 producers from different parts of Spain (La Perdida, Celler Tuets, Carlania, Hontza, Sexto Elemento, Ambiz, Esencia Rural, Barranco Oscuro and Uva de Vida, among others) and some from abroad. Hours: 11:00 - 19:00 Price: € 15

8 May. Wine store Lavinia in Madrid (Ortega y Gasset, 16) presents this month a tasting of French white wines, from different varieties and styles. Time: 19:00 to 20:45 Price: €60

8 May. The sixth edition of 'El Alma de los Vinos Únicos' attracted more than 1,500 people to Burgos. This year, in addition to the exhibition, Paco Berciano and his team presented other complementary activities, culminating in a final get-together in the Congress Hall of the Fórum Evolución in Burgos. "Wine and Cuisine. A debate on the future" will be attended by the owners of the Atrio Hotel and Restaurant in Cáceres (3 Michelin stars), Toño Pérez and José Polo, Paco Berciano, Maribé Revilla and the journalist Rosalía Santaolalla. Entrance is free. Time: 20:00

8-9 May. The Association of Sommeliers of Navarre is organising a tasting of the region's Garnacha wines, divided into two sessions: whites and rosés with Pedro Bujanda on the 8th and reds with Gonzalo Celayeta the following day. The activity will take place at the Hotel Don Carlos restaurant in Huarte. Time: 19:00 Registration before 5 May at info@sumilleresdenavarra.com

10 and 31 May. The Coalla shop in Madrid (Serrano, 203) is hosting a series of tastings this month. On the 10th, on the subject of Atlantic wines, the following releases will be tasted: Pedralonga Carolina 2022, Puro Rofe Blanco 2021, Marcio Lopes Pequenos Rebentos O Caminho 2021, Zarate Fontecon Rose 2021, Pedralonga Doumia 2020, Artadi Izar Leku 2017, AWC Verdelho Original 2021, Suertes del Marqués El Ciruelo 2018, Pequenos Rebentos Tinto Atlántico 2021 and Barbeito Malvasía Reserva 5 años. On the 31st, nine Italian wines will be opened. Both tastings will be accompanied by snacks prepared with products from the shop. Time: 20:00 Price: €68.

11 May. Wine store Majuelos Singulares in Valladolid (San Ignacio, 9) presents a tasting of South African wines with the following cuvées: Good Hope Chenin Blanc, Old Man Sam Chenin Blanc, The Bean Coffee Pinotage, Capuccino Pinotage, Klein Jakkals Syrah, Pieter and the Jackal Syrah Cabernet. Time: 20:00 Price: €18 

11, 17, 18, 23 and 24 May. The Unión Española de Catadores in Madrid (Lope de Vega, 27) presents the following tastings this month: Carlos Sánchez with his personal wines from Rioja as well as shared projects like 3 Viñerones and Las Bacantes (11th), a webinar with wines from Bolivia (17th), south American wines made from the Tannat variety (18th), wines from Alfrocheiro (23th) and Châteauneuf du Pape (24th). Price of each tasting is €40 except the Rhône one, which costs €55. Discounts for members.

11, 18 and 25 May. Celler El Tros in Barcelona (Mallorca, 303) presents the following tastings this month, all of them focused on Empordà: paired menu with Anna Espelt and her wines (11th, 21:00, €42), tapas and wines from Vinyes dels Aspres presented by their winemaker David Molas (18th, 21:00, €42) and Empordà cheeses paired with the wines of Vinyes Olivardots (25th, 20:00, €28)

12, 13 and 17 May. The Valencia Culinary Festival is organising a series of tastings and paired menus. Pablo Ossorio, winemaker at Bodegas Hispano Suizas, will present his wines at Casino Cirsa (12th), while Fernanda Buniaín will do the same on the 19th (both at 19:00, €30 each). On the 12th and 13th, the Apicius restaurant presents a menu paired with German wines by Sonia Fallert (€94). On the 17th, Bruno Murciano will introduce a pairing menu at La Galiana Golf Resort. Time: 13:00 Price: €85

12-21 May. The Binissalem appellation hosts Wine Days Mallorca across several towns and the presence of the wineries of the region. There will be tastings, food, winery tours, cultural activities, electric bike rides through the vineyards, nordic walking and music. Check the programme for prices and times.

14 May. Finca Villacreces in Ribera del Duero (Ctra. Soria N-122, Km. 322) hosts a brunch with wines from the winery and acoustic music by a band called Walnut. In addition, there will be live art exhibitions and the possibility to visit the winery. Hours: 12:00 - 15:00 Price: €35 (€20 children)

15 May. DO Jerez's Sherry Academy hosts a series of free webinars conducted by Pepe Ferrer. The first will be about the history of Sherry Wine, Manzanilla from Sanlúcar de Barrameda and vinegar. Time: 18:00  

16 May. The Association for Regenerative Viticulture is organising the Third Symposium on Regenerative Viticulture at Castell de Falset, which will also be streamed. The event will focus on the microbiology of agricultural soils and its importance for climate-resilient viticulture. The programme includes national experts in microbiology such as Dr. Elaine Ingham, Lydia & Claude Bourguignon, Jeff Lowenfels, pest ecology expert Rosa Vercher, Nicole Masters, climate change specialist Jordi Puig, AVR vice-president Francesc Font and the director general of Agriculture of the Catalan government, Elisenda Guillaumes. Time: 10:00 - 14:00. If you wish to attend the event in person, send an e-mail to info@viticulturaregenerativa.org

17 May. La Grifería in Madrid (Antonio de Leyva, 2) presents a tasting led by Jesús Recuero of Bodegas Recuero, who makes low intervention wines in Cuenca-Toledo and Sierra de Gata in Cáceres. Over half of his vines are at least 40 years old and they are all local varieties. Time: 18:30 - 20:00 Price: €20

17 and 25 May. The Insolity Wine Club is organising two tastings this month. The first, on the 17th, will take place in Barcelona (Santaló, 86) and will feature some of the great wines that M. Chapoutier makes in the Rhône: Condrieu Invitare 2021, Les Varonniers 2017, Barbe Rac 2021, L'Ermite Rouge 2002, Vin de Paille 2000 and Bernardine 2019 Blanc. Time: 19:30-21:30 Price: €99. In Madrid, on the 25th at the García de la Navarra restaurant, José Manuel Pérez Ovejas of Dominio de Calogia will present a paired dinner with his Dominio de Calogia 2019 and 2020 and Cuvee S 2019 wines. Time: 20:00 - 22:00 Price: €145

17 and 31 May. Wine bar and bistrot St Germain in Madrid (Cochabamba, 21) starts a series of events on May 17th with a tasting of whites from France and continues with a tasting of reds from the same country. The tastings will be accompanied with tapas like tapenade, French cheese board or rillette.  Time: 19:00-20:30 Price: €30 Bookings on +34 919 35 38 39

18 May. The eighth edition of Wines of Spain A Passion will be held in Granada (Carmen de los Chapiteles, 4, Albaizin) with the presence of two dozen producers from different areas of the country, such as Zárate, Ossian, Abadía Retuerta, Alta Alella, Recaredo, Emilio Hidalgo, González Byass, Lunares, La Rioja Alta, Marqués de Murrieta, Pujanza or Luis Oliván, among others. Opening hours: 11:30 to 15:00 and 17:15 to 20:30 Price: €33

18, 19 and 23 May. Estela Lecea, of Bodegas Lecea in San Asensio, continues with the presentation and promotion of her book Parábolas para volar, which tells the story of her journey through Chile and Latin America. One of the activities she is presenting is a tasting of Chilean wines, led by the Chilean winemaker Isabel Nicul and herself, which will offer a tour of the Andean country's wine valleys. The tasting will be held on three different dates and locations in La Rioja: Espacio Sabores Logroño (18th, 19:00), Hotel Teatrisso Cuzcurrita (19th, 21:30) and Centro Sensorial del Vino San Asensio (23rd, 19:00). Price: €25 Inscriptions here.

18 - 28 May. The Interprofesional del Vino de España (OIVE) presents Espacio Vino in Barcelona, an event that aims to bring wine closer to the consumer with activities such as tastings, food and wine pairings, workshops with chefs and experts, acoustic concerts and creative workshops with flowers, ceramics and wine. The concerts will take place at Carrer Abaixadors, 10, and the gastronomic and creative workshops at Valkiria Hub Spaces (Carrer de Pujades, 126)

18, 24 and 29 May. Enoteca Barolo in Madrid (Príncipe de Vergara, 211) presents three tastings this month: pairing of French cheese with a selection of wines ( 18th, €55), Chablis wines (24th, €70) and Italy through its varieties, with Juancho Asenjo (29th, €75). Time: 20:30

19 May. Wine store El Buen Gusto Vinos in Valladolid (Manuel Silvela 2) has invited Eduardo Eguren, fifth generation of the Rioja winemaking saga, who will present the wines of his personal project in Rioja: Garnacha, Alomado, El Tiznado and Los Yelsones as well as his Tinto Fino from Ribera del Duero. Time: 20:00 Price: €25 Reservations at info@elbuengustovinos.com

19 May. La Asociación de Amigos de la Vid y el Vino in Alcobendas (C/ Francisco Largo Caballero, 44) presents a tasting to see how the same grape variety behaves in different terroirs. Climate, elevation, age of the vines, winemaking methods, etc. all have an influence but this tasting will focus on appreciating the differences in the texture of wines of the same variety when they come from vines grown in different types of soil and bedrock: limestone, basalt, slate, granite... Time: 19:15 Price: €45 (members €35) Registration via email to amigosdelavidluis@gmail.com

19, 20 and 27 May. The Vin La Vie shop in Madrid (Mercado de Ibiza, Local 8) is hosting five activities this month. The first, on the 19th, is 'Contemporary Rioja', with wines from new producers such as Área Pequeña by Joseba and Koldo G. Quintana, Al Galope (by the son of horse owner Miguel Ángel Mato) and GR99 by Carlos Mendoza and Ana Benés (19:00, €28). On the 20th,  wines from the Albacete winery La Cepa de Pelayo (13:00) and a tasting of four wines from Parés Baltà (19:00, €38), and on the 27th, wines from Serapio de Mota del Cuervo (13:00) and a selection including Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva 2011, Área Pequeña, Birak de Aseginolaza and Leunda and Cava Marina y Oriol (19:00, €40). Reservations by telephone +34 690827856

20 May. The 10th Mostra de Vins Terres dels Alforins returns to La Font de la Figuera (Valencia) with a tasting and sale of wines from producers in the region, among them Celler del Roure, Clos Cor Vi, La Comarcal, Rafael Cambra or Vinya Alforí. There will also be live music and gastronomy. Timetable: 11:00-19:00 

Until 21 May. “Patios de Bodega” links the celebration of the festivities around the Patios in Córdoba with the bodegas and lagares of Montilla, that will open their “patios”, decorated for the occasion with winemaking and grape growing decorations and will offer special visits during weekends. In addition, on 7, 14 and 21 May there will be concerts in three wineries. Participating bodegas are Bodegas Alvear, Lagar Los Raigones, Lagar La Primilla, Lagar Cañada Navarro, Bodegas Robles, Bodegas Cabriñana, Maíllo and Bodegas Pérez Barquero.

22 May. The Verema Experience returns to Madrid (Hotel The Westin Palace) with the presence of around 40 producers and commented tastings by the Spanish Wine Academy, the Campo de Borja Regulatory Board and the Ribera del Duero Regulatory Board. Time: 12:00-21:00 Price: €20 online (€30 at the door)

22 May. Winelovers in Salamanca (Íscar Peyra, 5) has invited Jean Marcos Núñez, commercial director at Cuvée 3000, who will host a tasting of natural wines from various parts of Spain and made from different varieties and with diverse winemaking techniques. Time: 20:00 Price: €60 (€35 members)