The best wines from Catalonia in Spain

Catalonia is one of the most exciting wine regions in Spain. Not only because it is home to the sparkling Cava, but mainly because its winemakers have rapidly modernised their businesses in recent years and are not afraid of daring experiments.

Catalonia is one of the most exciting wine regions in Spain. Not only because it is home to the sparkling Cava, but mainly because its winemakers have rapidly modernized their businesses in recent years and are not afraid of daring experiments.

Catalonia is seen as the 'barometer' for wine growing in Spain. Its winemakers set the tone for the entire country. They were the first to work with steel tanks and automated temperature control. They experiment with forgotten, almost extinct grapes. More and more are switching to organic wine growing. But they also hold on to age-old traditions, such as Vinos Rancios, juice from overripe Garnacha grapes, fermented in open tanks.

Catalonia has nine different DOs, and one overarching appellation: VCPRD Cataluña, useful for foreigners to determine the origin and quality guarantee.

Cava

The sparkling Spanish Cava is made in Penedès. The Catalans literally copied the method from Champagne. To this day, they do it exactly like their French colleagues. But they use different grapes.

Priorat

Catalonia has nine DOs, but there is one that stands out and that is Priorat. Powerful, complex wines are made from Garnacha. The area is inhospitable. The vineyards are located on steep, barely passable mountain slopes of volcanic slate.