Wine tastings in September 2017

While many wineries are busy picking grapes, the events agenda in September goes back to pre-summer mode with countless harvest festivals like those in Jerez, Rioja Alavesa and Ribera del Duero among many others throughout the country. Tastings also return to the usual venues but there’s an extra activity this month for students and wine aficionados: a winemaking course for beginners at the university in Madrid.

1-17 September. Jerez’s Harvest Festival or Fiesta de la Vendimia is dedicated to the nearby Sherry town of El Puerto de Santa María and starts with the foot-treading of the grapes at the Reducto in the town’s cathedral. Throughout the first half of the months there will be numerous wine-related activities including a photo exhibition called “Jerez, wine and people” in the Santo Domingo Cloisters, a conference about Sherry wines, a guided tour of the city’s wine heritage, a showroom and tastings of Sherry wines, a children’s venencia contest and tastings at some of the region’s leading wineries.

2 September. Navarra producer Bodegas Ochoa hosts an open day at the winery with various activities such as wine tastings, a cocktail workshop and guided tours of the winery. During the day there will be live music, children’s activities and a stand selling products from the town of Olite. Opening hours: 10:00-14:00 Address: Miranda de Arga 35, Olite. Price: 5 €

2 September. Bentomiz in Sayalonga (Málaga) has invited artist Diego Villegas to perform his flamenco music while visitors to the winery enjoy the Ariyanas wines and a selection of tapas. Time: 18:00 Price: €35

2, 16, 17 and 30 September. Verema Solidaria is an initiative launched by four bodegas (La Vinyeta, Celler Credo, Raventós i Blanc and Celler Cooperatiu de Espolla) in Empordà and Penedès that will allow wine aficionados to take part in different activities in the vineyards such as harvesting grapes to make a wine for charity, learning from the experts on the ground, discovering the region’s wines and sharing a charitable lunch and taking part in a tasting led by Josep Roca, sommelier at El Celler de Can Roca. As well as taking part in these activities, anyone can help out by buying the wine. All the proceeds will be destined to organizations that fight to combat poverty and social exclusion in Empordà and Penedès. Prices vary depending on the activity.

2-30 September. The association of producers Institut del Cava continues with their activities to celebrate the harvest which start on September 2 with a reenactment of the traditional grape harvest in 1887 in Llopart (10:00), the tour “Vía Augusta between fauna and Cava” in Torelló (10:00) and a family tour of the Freixenet vineyards (10:30). Prices vary depending on the activity.

7 - 10 September. The Mostra del Vi de l’Empordà, which takes place in Figueres (Girona), includes guided tours, children’s workshops, themed and guided tastings, exhibitions, concerts and the chance to taste the wines of producers such as Arché Pagès, Espelt Viticultors, La Vinyeta, Pere Guardiola, Martí Fabra, Perelada or Vinyes dels Aspres, among others. Time: Thursday and Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday.

9 September. The 19ª Harvest & Wine Festival in Poboleda (Tarragona) takes place in this Catalan town with a recreation of a harvest as it was done in the old days, with mules and transport carts, followed by a breakfast fro the whole community. From 10:00 the village wineries open their doors to visitors and there will also be street tastings of wines from the DOQ Priorat an artisans market and castellers (human towers).

9 September. Wine, music and food trucks will be today at Finca Villacreces in Quintanilla de Enésimo (Valladolid) for Pruno Day. During the day, visitors will be able to tour the vineyards by bike, visit the wineries and enjoy the music and a tasting of magnums from the 2010 vintage. Time: 10:30-18:00 Price: €35

9 September. In Ollauri, the 21st edition of Mercado de la Vendimia hosts artisans, small producers, an oil mill, organic products and a tasting of wines and pinchos from Ollauri, as well as a photographic competition and a guided tour around this pretty Rioja village. As well as the market, the wineries in the village open their doors to visitors during the morning. Time: from 10:30 Price: €7 (glass + 3 wines + 3 pinchos)

9, 10 y 14 September. Following on with their Summer Experiences, Bodegas Valenciso in Ollauri (La Rioja) holds several activities this month. The first, on the 9th and 10th,  coincides with the festival Rioja y los 5 Sentidos and includes a tour of the winery based on the sense of hearing. On the 14th, Valencia export manager Diego Santana will lead a tasting of Chilean wines at the hotel Husa Gran Vía in Logroño. Price: €15 Booking is required on +34 941 304 724 

14 September. Fernando Mora presents his first tasting after becoming a Master of Wine at Restaurant Los Cabezudos in his native city, Zaragoza (San Agustín, 12-14). The wines chosen to pair with the menu are Château Coutet Premier Cru 2006 Sauternes-Barsac, Forster Pechstein Spätlese Trocken 2013 by Villa Wolf, a Ganevat from Côtes du Jura, Viña Tondonia Reserva 2001, Os Cantals 2015 by Cuevas de Arom, Fernando Mora's new project in Aragón, a Palo Cortado 1982 by Gonzalez Byass to match dessert and Champagne Krug 2002 to round off the night. Time: 21:00 Price: €105 

14 September. To present the tenth anniversary of its culture programme, Fundación Caja de Burgos has organized a tasting and tapas session prepare by local chef Patxi Álvarez from Tábula Gastrobar. The identity of the wines hasn't been revealed but with wine lover and sommelier Pilar Cruces in charge of the tasting, they will surely be interesting. Location: Cultural Caja de Burgos (Avda. Cantabria, 3) Time: 20:30 Price: €20

14-17 September. The town of Montemayor (Córdoba) prepares Europe's largest pasera where visitors will discover the process of drying the Pedro Ximénez grapes in the sun and the artisan production of wine. Additionally, there will be workshops for adults and children, music, talks and tastings led by the Regulatory Body of Montilla-Moriles, the region’s Cofradía del Salmorejo Cordobés, cocktail expert José Ropero and chef Kisko García, from Michelin-starred restaurant El Choco. Location: Montemayor Trade Center.

15 September. Galicia becomes the centre of attention in Lavinia (Ortega y Gasset, 16) this month with a showroom of Galician wines with some 30 brands and the presence of their producers. Additionally, the Madrid store will host a three-day course about Galician wines (23 and 30 September and 7 October), a pairing of wine and Galician tinned foods (21st), a round table of Galician red varieties and a dinner with Javier Alén (Viña Mein). Time: 19:00  Price: €20

15 September. The Bizkaia Association of Sommeliers  organizes a tasting of natural wines led by Antonio Sicurezza, co-owner of Wine Attack in Madrid and Aitor Trabado, author of websites www.miamigoelvino.com and www.orangewines.es. These are the wines at the tasting, which will be held at Arbat Bilbao (Plaza Nueva, 10, 2º izqda): Tinc Set Ancestral 2016 La Salada (Penedès), Orange Brut Nature 2015 Bodegas Cueva (Requena), Numen Fumè Blanc 2015, Zillinger (Weinviertel, Austria), Issè 2015, MicroBio Wines (Segovia), Canto a Lo Divino 2014, Los Vinateros Bravos (Itata, Chile), Humus 2014, Quinta do Paco (Obidos, Portugal) and a surprise wine tasted blind. There will be a round table discussion about rusticity in wine and whether amphora wines are just a hipster trend. Time: 19:30 Price: €30 (members  €20). The tasting is open to the general public but booking is necessary. If you're interested send an email to asb.bse@gmail.com 

15 September. To celebrate International Garnacha Day, Michael Cooper from TomeVinos sobre in Zaragoza (Calle Marqués de Casa Jiménez, s/n) presents a tasting with six Garnachas from six different production areas: Vinos Del Viento Garnacha Blanca 2016, Viña Zorzal Malayeto 2015 (Navarra), Domaine Charvin Côtes-Du-Rhone 2014 (Rhône), Camins Del Priorat 2016 (Priorat), Quinta Mazuela Garnacha 2014 (Cariñena) and Vinos Del Viento Viña Santa Bárbara 2015 (Campo de Borja). Time: 20:30 Price: €12 ser person and a 10% discount on the wines tasted. Further information on +34 976 961528

15 September. Wine store La Mercería in Boadilla del Monte (Avenida Solo XXI, 4) near Madrid presents a tasting of Rioja wines with the following cuvées: La Bicicleta Voladora (German Blanco), Fincas Mazuelo (Gregorio Martínez), Gómez Cruzado Vendimia Seleccionada, Costumbres (Vinos en Voz Baja) and L’aventura (Bryan MacRobert). Time: 20:00 Price: €10  Further information on +34 637 852 998

16 September. Stefano Fraternali, a sommelier specialized in natural wines and co-founder of Vella Terra fair, presents an introductory tasting to artisan, natural wines with the following wines: Tiques 2016 by Joan Rubio Sadurni; Casé Bianco by Alberto Anguissola; Fins Als Kullons 2016 by Finca Parera and Cabories 2016 by Ramon Jané and Ton Carbó. Time: 18:00 and 19:45 Price: €15 tasting + €3 which includes a snack prepared by Cloudstreet Bakery and entrance to All Those Market, a space with gastro artisans and entrepreneurs. Location: Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, Barcelona.

16 September. Wine retailer Majuelos Singulares in Valladolid (San Ignacio, 9) takes wine aficionados on a harvest day trip to Rueda in the Camino del Puerto vineyard, which belongs to Campo Elíseo, owned by Lurton. After picking the grapes, there will be a small break with a glass of wine and a few bites to eat, followed by a tour of the old underground winery in the village of La Seca. The visit will finish with a tasting of Lurton wines from France, Chile and Argentina and lunch in the winery's garden. Further information on +34 983 370 974 Time: 11:00 Price: €45

17 September. Rioja Alavesa host its 24th Harvest Festival in the village of Yécora with wine tastings, music, children’s activities and a popular lunch for everyone who wants to join. Time: 11:00 Price: €6 /glass + 6 wines.

18-29 September. The Chemistry School at the Complutense University in Madrid (UCM) has launched the first winemaking course for beginners, which will be held over two weeks. The course is open to students and wine aficionados who have qualifications to study at university. As well as the theory lessons, students will visit Finca El Encín, in Alcalá de Henares, a centre housing the largest collection of grape varieties in Spain, and  will tour Bodega Regajal in Aranjuez during the harvest. The course finishes with two tastings, one of whites and one of reds. Time: 16:30 to 19:30 Price: €125

19 September. Enoteca Barolo in Madrid (Príncipe de Vergara, 211) presents a tasting of US cheeses paired with wines from various wine producing areas around the world like Marimar Estate La Masia 2014 (Russian River Valley), Regente Sánchez Romate Palo Cortado (DO Sherry) Horacio Simoes 2009 (DOC Moscatel Roxo), Laudum Fondillon Gran Reserva 1987, Bulles de Roche Thierry Germain (AOC Saumur) y Kopke LBV Port 2012. The tasting will be led by Salvador Valero and Juanma Ruiz Casado. Price: €45 Time: 20:30

22 September. Wine store El Buen Gusto in Valladolid (Manuel Silvela, 2) presents a tasting of Pazo Señorans wines, one of the producers which pioneered the aging of albariño with its lees. The tasting will be conducted by Vicky Mareque, whois now in charge of the bodega and includes their 2016 white, Pazo Señorans Colección 2013, 2011 and 2010 and Selección de Añada 2009 and 2002, with more than 30 months of lees aging. At the end, the white and her aguardiente liquors made by Pazo Señorans will also be tasted. Time: 20:00 Price: €20 Bookings on +34 983 377 199

22 September. Wine retailer Vinosfera in Vitoria (Rafael Alberti, 24) organizes a wine tasting with minor or little known white grape varieties in Spain. There will be five wines paired with Idiazabal cheese and Ibérico ham. Time: 19:00 - 21:00 Price: €20 Bookings on +34 945 247 778

22 and 23 September. Evento Sarmiento is a weekend to enjoy wine and indie music in Bierzo. The party commences on the 22nd with Rufus T. Firefly on the stage followed by grape harvesting and foot-treading in Finca Valdetruchas, fun irreverent tastings with Santi Rivas (Colectivo Decantado), a lunch and concert and a final fiesta. Among the bodegas taking part are Casar de Burbia, Luna Beberide, Valtuille, Tilenus, Godelia, Vinos de San Esteban, Akilia, Tenorio Gayoso, Merayo, Peique and Perez Caramés as well as the odd producer from Jerez or Monterrei. A bus service to the main towns in Bierzo has been arranged. (Tickets are sold out)

23 September. The first edition of Ribera del Duero's Great Harvest Festival takes place in Aranda de Duero with the traditional grape treading and tasting of the first must, stands with local wines and music with live performances of artists like Maldita Nerea and Tequila, among others. All of the activities are free except for the concerts (€10)

23 September. Rioja winemaker Basilio Izquierdo celebrates his 50th Harvest at La Arboleda del Sur in Ezcaray (Padre José García, 32), the new banqueting hall built by Hotel Echauren, with a tasting of seven of his wines, paired with a cocktail dinner prepared by chef Francis Paniego as well as live music. Time: 20:00 Price: €120 Bookings on +34 941 354 047

23 September. The Route Tenerife Rural, organizada by Casa del Vino in the island, offers a tour to visit El Poris,  a seaside spot housing an underground winery, as well as San Miguel and the village of Vilaflor, home to some of Spain's highest vineyards. Time: 09:00-18:30 Price: €15 includes transport from La Laguna and Santa Cruz. Bookings on +34 922 53 10 13

25 September. German wines will be on show at today’s tasting organized by Tandem Gastronómico at Fierro in Valencia (Doctor Serrano, 4). Led by Dan Gill, distributor at Vins Alemanys, the tasting will include wines from Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Rheingau, Nahe and Mosel. The event will finish with a pie tasting. Time: 19:00 Price: €40

26 September. José Ruiz, commercial director at Pérez Barquero, will be at Unión Española de Catadores in Madrid (Lope de Vega, 27) to present the wines made by this Montilla-Moriles winery founded in 1905. There will be samples of Fresquito, their amphorae wine, Fino en Rama, Gran Barquero Amontillado and Gran Barquero Amontillado with 20 years of bottle aging, followed by Palo Cortado, Amontillado, Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez from their Colección Cincuentenario 1955 and Oloroso 1905 Solera Fundacional. Time: 19:00 Price: €45 (members €30).

27 September. “Great wines under €15” is the name of the tasting event that Barcelona wine retailer Vila Viniteca (Agullers, 8) has chosen to drink in style without spending too much money. The wines on show are Pruno 2015 (DO Ribera del Duero), Venta Las Vacas 2014 (DO Ribera del Duero), Borsao Tres Picos 2015 (Campo de Borja), Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de San Vicente 2013 (DOCa Rioja), Pas Curtei 2014 (DO Penedès), Pardas Negre Franc 2011 (DO Penedès), Bàrbara Forés El Templari 2015 (DO Terra Alta) and Mas Alta Els Pics 2015 (DO Priorat). Time: 20:00 to 22:00. Price: €29 (€20 for members).

27 September. PuraCepa restaurant in Murcia (San José, 3) organizes a dinner-tasting with cavas made by different producers and styles led by Juan F. Carmona, third best cava sommelier in Spain in 2015. Time: 21:00, Price: €35 Bookings on +34 968 217 397

28 September. If you like Pinot Noir, you will love the tasting that El Mostrador de Vila Viniteca (General Díaz Porlier, 45) has organised in Madrid with wines from Gevrey-Chambertin, the last village in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or. The following wines will be tasted: David Duband Bourgogne 2014, La Maison Romane La Justice 2014, Domaine Trapet Ostrea 2014, Lucien Le Moine Premier Cru Les Cazetiers 2014, Philippe Pacalet Lavaut Saint-Jacques Premier Cru, Domaine Trapet Chambertin Grand Cru 2011 and Domaine Rossignol-Trapet Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru 2012. Time: 20:00-22:00 Price: €84 (€76 for members).

30 September. The 10th Nit de Vins in Torroja del Priorat will finally go ahead today after its usual August date was postponed after the terror attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils. The tasting includes one wine from eight bodegas in the village plus three more from neighbouring producers. During the morning, wineries open their doors to visitors and there will be a guided tour of the village as well as a popular vermouth at midday. The cost of the entrance ticket includes a tasting of all the wines plus a €5 discount voucher to buy wine on the stands. Time: 17:00 Price: €15