El Penedès, Region of Wine Information

Located in the coastal hills of Southwest Catalunya lies the Penedés region, which is renowned for its wine making. This, one of the oldest viticultural areas in all of Europe is widely regarded as a close second to La Rioja in terms of Spanish wine and its importance and impact on dining tables around the world.

The Penedés region is most famous for its white-grape varieties, yet there are still some very recognised oak-aged reds, bottled here. Best known for its Cava production, the Penedés is home to the household names of Freixenet, Codorníu and Juvé y Camps as well as smaller family owned wineries that produce similarly excellent products in smaller quantities. Cava itself goes hand in hand with Penedés region and is predominantly responsible for the booming success of the region as a force in wine-exportation and revenue creation since the 1950's.

The Capital of the region is Vilafranca del Penedés where wine and history enthusiasts alike can enjoy the ‘Museu de Vilafranca del Vi’ which is a fantastic wine museum, dedicated to showcasing traditional wine-making culture and how this has evolved over time. The vestiges of Iberian and Roman antecedents are visible all around this historic town which has been producing wine since Phoenician times, and thus, there is no better place to experience the wonderful and rich history associated with wine culture.

Vilafranca del Penedés also hosts a very special event each year starting on August 29th, known as the ‘Festa Major’ which is a fantastic five-day festival celebrating its deep-seated cultural heritage. The celebrations include enormous human pyramids, bell-ringing, musical processions and a stunning firework-display finale! This is simply a must for any travellers in town around these dates.

There are numerous wine-tasting tours available here to accommodate you. Lovers of a specific variety of wine can try a specialised tour on Cava for example, or for an all-rounder, there are also more generalised tours available! If you were to choose a ‘guided’ tour, you will be briefed on the areas you travel through giving you a good geographical and historical understanding of your surroundings before visiting wineries to learn about the entire wine-making process. Of course when ‘school’s out’ you will be given a chance to taste some of those delicious wines accompanied with traditional barbequed meats in many instances. It is also possible to tour the region without a guide on bicycles for those budding pioneers who would like to explore at their own pace!