Lavinia Premium Wine & Jamón Tasting

The Lavinia Premium Wine & Jamón Tasting is a seated tasting session held at Lavinia, a specialist wine store at Calle de José Ortega y Gasset 16 in the Salamanca district of Madrid, Spain. The Salamanca neighbourhood is the city's upscale shopping quarter, and the Lavinia shop is known for a large selection of Spanish and international wines. The tasting lasts about 1.5 hours and is led by a sommelier who guides participants through four to six Spanish wines, explaining regions, grape varieties and how each wine pairs with food. Each flight is served with jamón ibérico and a selection of cheeses, so the experience is savoury and focused on pairing rather than on a full meal. Because the tasting is wine-led, the portion of food is a tasting plate rather than a dinner, and visitors planning a larger meal usually book it before lunch or dinner. The price depends on the selection of wines, running from roughly €45 to €80 per person. Wine, food and sommelier guidance are included, while purchases of bottles from the store and transport are not. The session suits small groups and couples, and the pace is unhurried, with time for questions about regions such as Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Visitors who do not drink alcohol or who have allergies should discuss options with the store before booking, as the format is built around wine. Booking is made through the store's website, lavinia.es. The shop setting allows participants to buy wines they enjoyed immediately afterwards, which many visitors do as gifts. The location is close to Retiro Park and the Serrano shopping street, so the tasting combines easily with an afternoon in the Salamanca district. Visitors new to Spanish wine often find the session a useful primer, since the sommelier places each bottle within its region and explains labelling terms such as crianza, reserva and gran reserva, which appear on almost every Spanish wine list.