Between the sea and the mountains, Catalonia unfolds a myriad of vineyard landscapes, sometimes cultivated on the plains, sometimes on the coast, or sometimes planted in terraces in the mountain areas. The singularity of the soils, the exposure to the winds and the influence of the climate have created a vast network of vineyards, today constituted by 12 Protected Designations of Origin ("Denominació d'origen").

Roman origins

The history of Catalan wines goes back more than 2,500 years, with the arrival of the Greeks and the creation of the colony of Empúries in the 6th century B.C. But the real expansion of wine culture in Catalonia dates from the Roman invasion in the 3rd century B.C. In the Middle Ages, the territory was structured around powerful monasteries, from which the current Protected Designations of Origin are directly inherited. 15 kilometers from Barcelona, the vineyards of the D.O. Alella grow on sunny slopes sheltered from the sea winds. Already in ancient times, the Romans appreciated these wines, which they exported to Rome in large terracotta amphorae. The archaeological park Cella Vinaria, in Teià, preserves the remains of a Roman cellar of the first century, and exhibits two huge reconstructions of wine presses. In the D.O. Tarragona, wines have also been produced since antiquity, as evidenced by the many remains of Roman agricultural villas visible in the Camp de Tarragona area. Its light and fruity white wines are full of Mediterranean sunshine. Cultural visits combine the discovery of the vineyards with the rich Roman heritage of ancient Tarraco, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Between vineyards and monasteries

Still in the region of Tarragona, the D.O.Q Priorat and its neighbor D.O. Montsant have their origins in the twelfth century, with the establishment of the vineyard by the monks of the Carthusian monastery of Escaladei. However, it is only since the 1990s and the "revolution of the clos" that Priorat enjoys the international prestige it has today. Here, the vines are cultivated in terraces on llicorella (slate) soils and produce very intense and alcoholic red wines. A little further north, in the central region of Conca de Barberà, the wine culture has developed around the monastery of Santa Maria de Poblet, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The singular identity of its wines comes from the autochthonous grape variety used: the trepat. On the side of the emblematic mountain of Montserrat, the vineyards of the D.O. Pla de Bages were developed in the Middle Ages around the Benedictine monastery of Sant Benet de Bages. The area has magnificent dry-stone cellars that can be explored along the local wine route.

On the Catalan wine route

These rutas del vino are the best way to explore the singularities of the terroirs. If the D.O. Catalunya, the largest, invites you to explore the whole of Catalonia, each D.O. has its own landscape, cuisine and heritage. In the D.O. Costers del Segre, which stretches from the Lleida plain to the pre-Pyrenees, mainly powerful and balanced red wines are produced, sometimes at altitudes of up to 1,000 meters. The numerous wineries are grouped together in the extensive network of the Lleida Wine Route, where the visit to the vineyards is combined with the Olive Oil Route, emblematic of the region. From one route to the other, the DO Empordà Wine Route explores the beautiful landscapes of the Costa Brava, where wines of character are produced under the influence of the Tramontana. Charming hotels, wineries, bodegas and gastro addresses mark out this oenological journey in the land of Salvador Dalí

Modernist wineries

In the D.O. Terra Alta, renowned for its white wines made from Grenache, there are several modernist cooperative wineries to discover, including those of Gandesa and Pinell de Brai. But it is in the Penedès that the richest modernist heritage is found! This region is the most important wine producer in Catalonia, around the D.O. Penedès and the D.O. Cava. Thousands of hectares of macabeu, xarel-lo and parellada vineyards - the local varieties - stretch from the sea to the rolling hillsides surrounding the municipalities of Vilafranca del Penedès and Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, the capitals of local wine and cava production. Dozens of wineries are concentrated here, offering a myriad of activities related to wine tourism: cyclo-hiking in the vineyards, Vinseum (Catalan Museum of Wine Cultures) in Vilafranca del Penedès, the Font de la Can ya deposit (origin of the vineyards of the Penedès 2,500 years ago), the Vijazz events, the Jazz and Wine Festival in Vilafranca del Penedès, and also of the Most Festival, a film event of reference in the Penedès and Priorat.

USEFUL INFORMATION

When to go?

Although the vineyards offer magnificent landscapes all year round, the period between April and November is undoubtedly the best time for a wine-related visit to Catalonia. During these months, wine fairs, tastings and harvest festivals take place in the different D.O.'s of the region

Duration

It all depends on your availability! For a weekend, you can plan a stay in the Priorat region combining the discovery of vineyards, hilltop villages and monasteries

2-3 days are also enough to explore the Penedès and its modernist bodegas

On the other hand, plan at least a week to explore several D.O.'s

Public

Amateurs or initiates, young and old, in duo or between friends, all profiles meet on the Catalan wine routes. What they all have in common is a taste for good wines and local products, so that they can enjoy these epicurean strolls through Catalonia as they should

The most

More than 300 wineries spread out in the heart of varied landscapes, from seaside hillsides to high altitude vineyards.

An exceptional heritage: from old monasteries to modernist cellars, through beautiful wine villages

The minuses

The visits of the cellars are rarely available in French, except in the most famous bodegas

Useful

CATALAN INSTITUTE OF VINEYARDS AND WINE (INCAVI) - More information on the site

This is the bible of Catalan wines. On its website, this organization lists a multitude of information on the Catalan Designations of Origin, their history, their characteristics ... Enough to become unreadable on Catalan wines!