Wine tastings in November 2022

As we do every month, we compile some of the most interesting events taking place in Spain. This month we highlight large fairs such as the Salón Peñín in Madrid, with more than 400 exhibitors, and other smaller ones, such as the Muestra de Vinos Mediterráneos La Odisea in Cocentaina, the independent fair Castes in Vilagarcía de Arousa focused on wines from Galicia and beyond, or Sherry Week, with activities all over the world.

3, 7 and 29 November. Enoteca Barolo in Madrid (Príncipe de Vergara, 211) presents three tastings this month. The first will be a paired dinner serving Italian offal dishes at La Piperna restaurant (3rd, €65); the second is a tasting of Barbaresco reds led by Juancho Asenjo (7th, €70) and finally a new series of tastings of Burgundy villages, this time with Pommard as the protagonist (29th, €70). Time: 20:30 (Dinner is programmed for 21:00)

3, 8, 15, 17, 22 and 29 November. The calendar of tastings organised by the Spanish Tasters Union at its headquarters in Madrid (Lope de Vega, 27) includes the following events: tasting with Pepe Rodríguez de Vera and his wines from Almansa and Marco de Jerez ( 3rd), Osborne on its 250th anniversary (8th), Rioja, 100 km of contrasts with Pablo Franco of DOCa Rioja (15th), José Luis Moreira, technical director of Esporao in Portugal, and his wines (17th), César Saldaña, director of DO Sherry, and organic ageing in Sanlúcar (22nd) and Graves ambassadors (29th). All tastings cost €35  except Osborne and Graves (€40) and there are discounts for members. All activities start at 19:00. Reservations by phone on +34 914 293 477

3, 10, 15, 16, 17, 23 and 28 November. Lavinia wine bar and restaurant in Madrid (Ortega y Gasset, 16) presents the following tastings this month: DOCa Rioja showroom with around 20 producers ( 3rd, €25), wines and cheese (10th, €54.99), single varietals (15th, €54.99), initiation to Piedmont with Juancho Asenjo (16th, €70), Beaujolais wines (17th, €54.99), historical and current vintages of Abadía Retuerta (23rd, €65), Arrayán: Gredos, from Ávila to Toledo ( 28th, €40).

3-27 November. The Most 2022 film and wine festival celebrates its 11th edition in two locations. The first will take place at the Viniseum Auditorium in Vilafranca del Penedès and the second in Priorat. Both will show wine-related films and documentaries, in some cases at several wineries in the Penedès, and there will be a choice of tastings, including one with wines from Georgia, which is the guest country, led by sommelier Raimon Salas, and another with Galician producer Pilar Higuero, from A Pita Cega. For more information on opening times, prices and ticket sales, click on the link above.

4-6 November. The town of Gandesa, in Catalonia's Terra Alta, celebrates its 35th Festa del Vi with a calendar of activities which includes a showroom with wines from 30 producers and Garnacha Blanca Night, with around 40 wines that will be served in the Sala de Premses building owned by the Cooperative of Gandesa with food served by l’Antic Molí (1* Michelin). As well as live music, there will be tastings, a popular dinner with clotxa, a traditional meal prepared by local farmers, children’s activities and guided tours of the area's wineries throughout the weekend. Price: From €12, depending on the activity.

4, 11 and 18 November. Vinoteca La Mercería in Boadilla del Monte (Madrid) presents a series of tastings on Galician wines starting on the 4th with A Torna dos Pasas Escolma (Luis Anxo Rodríguez), Branco de Santa Cruz (Cía Telmo Rodríguez), Lalume (Dominio do Bibei), Tricó Nicolas (Tricó), As Covas (Raúl Pérez and Rodrigo Méndez). On the 11th the wines will be Dominio do Bibei, Sketch by Raúl Pérez, Gomáriz Colleita, Gorvia by José Luis Mateo and Goliardo by Rodrigo Méndez. Finally, on the 18th A Telleira by Rodrigo Méndez, Cuvée Cacp by Xose Lois Sebio, Finca Capeliños by Guímaro, Casas de Enriba by Daterra Viticultores and Ededia by Javier García will be tasted. Time: 20:30 Price: €20.

4-13 November. Catalan Wine Week features more than 50 activities that will take place all over Catalonia, such as a vertical tasting of Clos Figueras in Barcelona, a blind tasting of Garraf wines in Sitges, walks through the vineyards, in-person and online tastings and visits to wineries. See the full programme in the link above.

5 November. In aid of Amma Jerez-Mujeres Mastectomizadas, a dinner paired with sherry wines will be held in the Salón del los Espejos at the Nazaret Club in Jerez. Producer Mª Carmen Borrego Pla, from Maestro Sierra, will present the evening, which will include tastings of Juan Piñero's Manzanilla Maruja, Bodegas León Domecq's Fino, Barbadillo's Amontillado El Príncipe, Williams & Humbert's Palo Cortado 15 years, Maestro Sierra's Oloroso 15 years and Díez Merito's Cream Bertola. Time: 20:30 Donation: €30 Registration by phone +34 606036470 

7 November. Wine merchant Vinsvidart presents the second edition of its blind wine tasting competition at the Hotel Carlemany in Girona with prizes of €3,500 to be shared among the three finalists. The second edition of Fira Vinsdart, with more than 30 exhibitors and two guided tastings, will also be held on the same day. The fee to take part in the blind tasting is €50. Registration closes on the 3rd of November. Timetable: 10:30 - 11:30 

7 November. The halls of Hotel VP Plaza España in Madrid will host the V Show of the Great Wines of Castilla y León with a selection from three geographical areas: the Duero River (Rueda, Ribera del Duero, Toro, Cigales, Arlanza, Arribes, León, Tierra del Vino de Zamora, Valles de Benavente and Valtiendas), the Atlantic (Bierzo) and the south (Sierra de Salamanca and Cebreros) as well as wines from Tierra de Castilla and Vinos de Pago. Opening hours: From 12:00 to 15:00 and from 17:00 to 21:00 Inscription on the link above.

7-13 November.  Sherry Week celebrates a whole week dedicated to sherry wines with hundreds of events, both online and offline, in different cities around the world. You can check the full programme at the link above.

7 and 14 November. The Experiencia Verema comes to Bilbao and Barcelona this month, with showrooms at the Carlton Hotel and the Maritime Museum, respectively. In addition to the possibility to taste wines from some 40 producers and Regulatory Boards, the Barcelona event will feature themed tastings from appellations such as Campo de Borja, Pla i Llevant, Ribera del Duero, Cava, the Spanish Wine Academy and vermouth with François Monti. Opening hours: 12:00 - 21:00 Price: €15 and €35 respectively.

9, 10, 16, 17 and 24 November. Lust for Wine in Burgos (Plaza Alonso Martínez, 7A Office 57) presents several activities this month, including "Un Podcast con mucho arte" with winemaker Tao Platon. It will be held at Burgos's Centro de Arte (CAB) at 18:30 on the 9th and is free upon registration. On the 10th at 20:30, Pilar Cruces will talk about "New altitudes and latitudes" at the Lust for Wine Room. Price: €45. On the 16th at 21:00, there will be a tasting of "Organic, biodynamic and natural wines" at Clarita Restaurant (Corre. Baja de San Pablo, 19 Madrid) Price € 26. The next day, at La Pícara in Aranda de Duero (C. Sta. María, 2), Pilar presents a tasting of Mediterranean wines (20:15, €35). The month ends with a presentation about France at Sala Lust for Wine (20:30, €35). Registration by phone +34 638 66 14 08

10 November. Wine store Goñi in San Sebastián (Aldamar, 3) presents a tasting of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with 12 wines from Burgundy and Champagne. Time: 16:30 to 20:30 in 30-minute shifts. Inscriptions on info@ardoteka.com

11 and 15 November. As part of Sherry Week, the Association of Friends of the Vine and Wine of Alcobendas presents a tasting of palos cortados, several of them old (11th, €45). Additionally, they have planned a trip to the Axarquia, but the details are still not known. Also, on the 15th a tasting will be held to review the different styles of wine in Ribera del Duero to celebrate its 40th anniversary (€55). More information and inscriptions in the link above. 

12 November. Tasta Porrera is a wine and food fair organised by the Porrera Winery Association and the town council. During the day visitors will be able to taste wines from the two dozen wineries in the village accompanied by local dishes and buy the wines direct from the producer. Time: 11:00 - 14:00 Price: €20 including lunch and wine tasting.

12 November. Barcelona's Palau Robert hosts the ninth edition of Festa del Vi Novell with the presence of 13 Catalan wineries from seven appellations. After the festival, a wine van will take young wines on a tour of Catalonia every weekend until mid-December.

12 November.  As part of the mountain film festival in Torelló (Barcelona), there will be a mountain wine festival where visitors will be able to taste, buy and discover wines from different producers. There will also be tastings led by sommelier Ferran Vila and journalist Ruth Troyano. Prices from €20.

12 November. Producer Lagar de Santa Magdalena presents the 1st Conference on regenerative viticulture at its beautiful bodega in Moriles, with presentations by experts who will give ideas on how to better manage agricultural resources and handle vineyards in a sustainable way. Time: 09:00 Registration by phone +34 644584494

12 and 19 November. Bodega del Tesoro in Cuzcurrita Del Río Tirón (La Rioja) presents its Wine Encounters, with the chance to taste some 8 and 12 wines from small Rioja producers such as Miguel Merino, Cordemei, Alvia and Bodega del Tesoro itself, accompanied by tapas and a visit to the winery. Time: From 19:00 (12th) and from 11:00 (19th). For more information call +34 607214989

17-18 November. The fourth edition of the International Congress of Historic Bodega Districts will be held in Villamediana de Iregua (La Rioja) under the title "Sustainable, Unique and Real". This year, the bodega districts of Tomelloso, Oporto and Tokay will be present as well as Juan Carlos Sancha and Luis Alberto Lecea, among others, and there will be two round tables, one moderated by the author of this text, as well as visits to the bodega districts of Cordovín and Villamediana de Iregua. Time: from 09:00. Registration at the link above.

18 November. The Regulatory Board of D.O. Navarra Wines presents #Winecom, a communication and wine conference, at the University of Navarra in Pamplona. Under the title "The present future of communication", topics such as the importance of technology and R&D in sales strategies; the need to move towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly models; the connection with consumers and the digital transformation of marketing and communication strategies will be discussed. Price. €50 (online participation) and €150 ( in person, €100 before 11 November).

18-20 November. The eighth edition of Feria del Cava Valenciano will take place at Mercado de Colón in Valencia, with the presence of the following producers: Coviñas, Chozas Carrascal, Dominio de la Vega, Hispano Suizas, Pago de Tharsys, Torre Oria and Unión Vinícola del Este. There will also be workshops and food available. Price: from €15
 
21 November. The Association of Navarra Sommeliers presents today at the Don Carlos Hotel in Pamplona a tasting of Callejuela wines from Sanlúcar. Time and price to be confirmed. Registration at actividades@sumilleresnavarra.com

24-25 November. The Villa Lucía gourmet space in Laguardia hosts a new edition of the Rioja Alavesa Wine Tourism Forum with presentations about how to create experiences for visitors, with Cristina Soler, director of Llopart, championing Km0 produce and seeking solutions to the green and sustainable transition. There will also be lunch-workshops. Doors open from 09:30 Price: from €40 

25-27 November. Over 20 producers will present their wines at the first DO Jumilla Wine and Tourism Fair. There will be tastings, concerts, gastronomy, workshops, children's activities, guided tours, as well as showcooking and food and wine pairings. More information on the link above.

26 November. Falset hosts the first fair or rancio and sweet wines with the presence of a dozen producers from Priorat and Montsant who want to shine a light on this category with such a long tradition in the region. The day will start with a professional tasting of international oxidative wines and jewels from Priorat (11:30, €60), a tasting open to the general public (€18 per person and six tastings), an introductory tasting to oxidative wines and the screening of the film La Vid(a). Write to sumiller@pecats-comunicacio.com to take part in the tastings.

27 November. Castes, the independent wine fair, returns to the Plaza de Abastos in Vilagarcía de Arousa (Pontevedra), hosting a show with over 70 domestic and international producers, more than 100 wines and Champagne as the guest region. In addition to music, a food court and a wine tunnel, in the Aula Castes workshops, different professionals will give their point of view on the Galician and international wine scene. In addition, the fourth International Blind tasting championship in Teams will be held with prizes of €2000 for the first team, and prizes up to the 5th place (11:00-13:00, €130 per team). Fair opening hours: 13:00 to 19:30 Price: €20

28 November. The 7th edition of the International Wine Merchant Awards -for which this website is nominated in the Best Online Platform category- will take place today at The Westin Palace hotel in Madrid. Before the dinner and awards ceremony, there will be a wine lounge and the Talks session, whose programme will be unveiled shortly at the link above. The event will be open to anyone wishing to attend, subject to the purchase of a ticket (€121).

28 November. More than 20 wineries from Spain, France and Italy will be present at the fourth edition of La Odisea, a Mediterranean wine show held at L'Escaleta restaurant in Cocentaina (Alicante). Round tables, a wine show and a special lunch menu. Tickets cost €40 and include the show and the round tables; the special Odisea menu costs €55. Opening hours: 10:00-14:00 and 17:00-20:00

28-29 November.  Around 400 bodegas from 70 producing areas will be present at this year’s 21st Salón de los Mejores Vinos de España, hosted by Guía Peñín ay Pavilion 2 in Ifema Madrid (Campo de las Naciones). It's a chance to literally taste your way around some of Spain’s top scoring wines and meet some of the people who make them. As well as the tasting tables, there will be conducted tastings by DOs Cava, Campo de Borja, Ribeira Sacra and Somontano, as well as by Agustí Torelló Mata and Spanish Wine Academy. Opening hours 28th: 12:00-20:00 and 29th: 11:00-15:00.