The Empordà is one of Spain's oldest wine regions and one of its least shouted-about — Garnatxa and Carinyena on stony ground behind the Costa Brava, mostly small producers. This festival brings them down to the coast for a weekend and puts them behind tasting stands on the Passeig del Mar, so you meet the person who made what you are drinking.
What to expect. Live cooking demonstrations with chefs Quim Casellas, Dovarly Muñoz, Jaume Codolar, Alan Puche and Xavi Miró, paired by sommelier Cristina Camprubí, plus cellar tasting stands, a bar pouring local wines and regional products, food trucks and live music. Friday and Saturday 5pm to 11pm, Sunday 11am to 4pm. Entry is free; you pay for what you eat and drink.
Practical bit. Palamós is a real fishing port — its prawns are famous enough to have their own fair — and late September is the good time to be here, with the vineyards being picked and the beaches empty. A hire car gets you inland to the cellars themselves; several take visitors by appointment and the drive through the Baix Empordà villages is the point.
