Concerts in the wineries

Bodegas Luzón

One of the many highlights of the year in Jumilla is Música Entre Vinos, where concerts are held in different wineries, giving you a chance to sample the excellent local wines while tasting yummy tapas and listening to great music. What’s not to like?

Having just returned from a fabulous trip to Paris and London, I’m still busy trying to gather as much information as possible about this year’s MEV, which isn’t always easy in this part of the world! I will update this post if more details become available.

The opening event will be held on 8 June in Jumilla’s Wine Interpretation Centre rather than a winery, although food and wine will still be available. Tickets are only 15 euros and can be obtained from Restaurante Casa Sebastian. I gather that the theme will be film soundtracks, so as a Queen fan I’m definitely going to be there, in the hope that Bohemian Rhapsody will be included.

Bodegas Luzón (as seen in the photo above) are hosting the event on 15 June. Each year they manage to surprise me with something different, so I’m looking forward to being surprised yet again at this year’s concert. I have been told that the concert will be Pop-Rock music, both Spanish and English, that I (and many others) are sure to enjoy. For more details and/or to reserve tickets, email Patricia at tour@bodegasluzon.com.

Bodegas BSI are also having their concert on 15 June with Stolen, the group that had everyone up on their feet dancing last year. As BSI is one of the largest wineries, the tour is always interesting – as well as working up an appetite for their wines and tapas! To reserve tickets, email them at enoturismo@bsi.es

There are also two events on 22 June, so you are being spoilt for choice. Bodega Madrid Romero will start their evening with visits to the winery between 8pm and 9pm and you will then be entertained by Sharay Jazz & Friends, while enjoying good food and wine. Tickets are selling fast, so contact them to reserve your ticket by sending an email to: info@bodegamadridromero.com

I’ve been reliably informed that all available tickets have been reserved for the second event on 22 June, however you can add your name to the waiting list if you’d like to visit the Museo Hacienda del Carche-Casa de la Ermita. Particularly if you like Spanish pop from the 80s and 90s, as FyVBand will be providing the music, and of course you can enjoy the two wineries’ fine wines with your tapas. To put your name down, email: tour@casadelaermita.com

Bodegas Viña Elena aren’t having an event this year as there are works being carried out at their winery. however the good news is that you will be able to taste their wines on 6 July at the event being organised by La Macarena in Jumilla’s indoor market. La Macarena always have tasty tapas and the music will be provided by the talented local group Al Golpe, so I will definitely be buying my ticket before they run out. Email them to reserve tickets at: lamacarenabar.restaurante@gmail.com

On 13 July, Bodegas Ribera del Juá will be taking part in Música entre Vinos for the first time. I’m hoping to persuade one of my lovely friends to drive me there! They will have the legendary Jumillano rock band Salicornio accompanying the singer Carmen Maldonado from Granada, who will be performing “Pop through the ages”. Casa Canales will be doing the catering for them on the night. The event will start at 21.00. To book your tickets, either call them on 868087901 or send them an email to: eventos@bodegasriberadeljua.com

If you enjoy flamenco, then the final event at Bodegas Viña Campanero on 20 July will be right up your street. Starting at 21.00, you can look around the smallest winery in Jumilla before enjoying your tapas, wine and music. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of me showing off my dance skills! Email them to reserve tickets (they’re selling fast!) at bodegas@vinacampanero.com or you can phone them on 969780754 .

Apart from the opening event tickets will cost 28 euros, which includes the concert, tapas, lots of good wine and a glass to take home – I have a cupboard full of MEV glasses! Most events start at 21.00 but do check when reserving your tickets in case they are kicking off at 20.00 for the tour of the winery. Enjoy!

Music & Wine and Walks in Jumilla

With the arrival of June and (hopefully!) a long hot summer, we can also look forward to this year’s Música entre Vinos in Jumilla, organised by La Ruta del Vino de Jumilla.

What exactly is Música entre Vinos?  Not surprisingly it involves both music and wine: most events will start with a tour of the bodega, followed by a concert – and you will of course have the opportunity to try the bodega’s best wines accompanied by a variety of local tapas. When I say tapas, I mean a lot of food, so do come with an empty stomach! I don’t eat meat, but I still manage to find plenty of food that I can enjoy. Tickets cost a reasonable 20€, the same as last year, and can be bought either direct from the bodega or from Los Chilines wine-shop at 69 Avenida Levante in Jumilla.

The organisers have made sure that there is something to suit everybody’s musical tastes with a wide variety of music from pop to flamenco, plus a bit of jazz.

Enjoying last year's event in Bodegas Viña Elena

The opening concert will be at 12.00 on Sunday June 2 in Bodegas Viña Elena, and has already sold out. The music will be provided by the “Banda de Música Asociación Musical Julián Santos”, one of Jumilla’s two local bands. Bodegas Viña Elena is a family-owned bodega, 17km from Jumilla, which was founded in 1948 by Elena’s grandfather.

The second event will start at 20.00 on Saturday June 8 in Bodegas Luzón, which is about 3km from Jumilla on the road to Calasparra. The legendary Jumillano group “Magic Bus” will be entertaining everyone with their pop-rock music. Although I don’t have any favourites, I have to say that last year’s event was one of the best organised –  and we particularly liked the welcoming drink and tapas before we even started on the tour! Unfortunately we will have to miss this year’s event as my niece is getting married in Sunderland on the same day: sometimes family has to come first!

On Saturday 15 June the concert will be hosted by Casa Canales delicatessen in the centre of Jumilla. As there won’t be a bodega tour the evening will start at 21.30, with the extraordinary duet “Alex & Cristobal” delighting us with their great versions of pop, rock and blues. This is another concert that we will be sorry to miss, as we don’t return from the UK until 17 June.

On Sunday 16 June at 12.00 “Cantos Jazz Fusión” will be in concert at Bodegas Casa de la Ermita, situated in El Carche 11.5 km from Jumilla. This talented trio will be interpreting the music of Frank Zappa, the Beatles and Miles Davis amongst others in what they describe as “Jazz Ambiental”. It will definitely be a great afternoon out for jazz fans!

We are looking forward to the event organised by Los Chilines wine shop at 21.30 on Friday 21 June, especially as we will have already missed three superb concerts. “Antuan Muñoz y Banda” will be playing Flamenco fusion music at Salones Pio XII, in an idyllic setting overlooking the town of Jumilla. Their musical style is best described as flamenco mixed with rumba, reggae, rock, pop, funky: a veritable cocktail of rhythms and styles.  Prepare to be amazed!

Bodegas Xenysel is another family-run bodega, which is based in the countryside between Jumilla and Yecla.  “Sazón Bolero”, a quintet formed of four Murciano musicians and a Jumillano singer, will be performing traditional boleros at the bodega at 20.00 on Saturday 22 June. We always get a warm welcome here, and we enjoy the concerts outside in the beautiful countryside, so we are hoping some kind person will offer us a lift there!


Concert in Bodegas Xenysel

The last event of the month will be held in Bodegas San Isidro (BSI) at 20.00 on Saturday 29 June. “Potato Head Jazz Band” will be playing “Hot Jazz”, also known as Dixieland. Their music will transport us to the New Orleans of the 20s and their show promises be a combination of music and good humour with audience participation – I can’t wait! The good news is that this bodega is close to where we live, so we can walk there easily and then stagger home afterwards.

If, unusually, you don’t enjoy good music and good wine, these aren’t the only events in Jumilla this month. The tourist office is offering free guided visits on Sundays throughout June.

On 2 and 9 June there will be guided walks to the Castle and the Old Town, starting at 10.00 from the tourist office. You are advised to book in advance as places are limited.

On 23 June the theme of the walk is religious art and again it will start from the tourist office at 10.00.

Finally on 30 June the walk will be along an urban route, leaving at 10.00 from Teatro Vico.

The walks will be conducted in Spanish, so if you think that may be too challenging for your linguistic abilities, why not book a free Walkers Tour of Jumilla in English? Send me a message via the Contact page if you would like further details.