Barcelona Wine
Barcelona and wine share history since Roman times, when the wine trade was already developing. Tradition of wine is deeply rooted in the social and cultural values of Barcelona. Throughout the Catalan Modernism, built large “cellers cooperatius” (cooperative cellars), called “Cathedrals of Wine”. Currently Barcelona’s wine region is recognized all over the world, so why not visiting some of the best wineries in Barcelona during your stay?
The Mediterranean Sea has an immense effect on Barcelona wine country and its landscape. The result is the creation of several microclimates of warm summers and mild winters with absence of frosts, with abundant hours of sun and a concentration of rain during spring and autumn, which allows to produce high quality wines and all being very different. The geographical area and its diversity of soils and climatology “terroir” is grouped in 12 Denominations of Origin on over 70 thousand hectares.
The Catalunya wine region is composed by 11 Designations of Origin and DO Cava (Sparkling Wine):
- 1. DO Alella: It is the smallest DO of Catalonia and one of the oldest in Spain, it is the wine region closest to Barcelona, it is a unique 100% organic production. Variety: Pansa Blanca.
- 2. DO Penedès: It is also one of the wine areas closest to Barcelona, with a privileged climate between the pre-coastal hills and the Mediterranean coast, which favors a variety of microclimates and soils, currently the region with the most production in Catalonia. Star variety: Xarel.lo.
- 3. DO Pla de Bages: The third DO closest to the Catalan capital. Wine region located between mountains, is the only region in Spain where the Picapoll variety is grown.
- 4. DO Catalunya: It is distributed throughout Catalonia through 300 municipalities and there are 35 varieties of authorized grapes, producing white, rosé and red wines.
- 5. DO Cava (Catalan Sparkling wine): It has a DO pròpia, it is produced both in Barcelona wine region and in others parts of Spain. Although Barcelona wine country is where most production comes from.
- 6. DO Conca de Barberà: Located north of Tarragona where wines are light and fresh. The most planted variety is Trepat.
- 7. DO Costers del Segre: It is furthest from the City of Barcelona, in the interior of Catalonia. It mainly grows foreign varieties and produces plurivarietal wines.
- 8. DO Empordà: Located in the north of Catalonia, it is a landscape of contrasts, with a very heterogeneous soil and with little organic matter and a climate characterized by the strong Tramuntana wine. The star variety is Grenache.
- 9. DO Montsant: Located in the province of Tarragona with a landscape of great beauty and where the Carthusian monks promoted the cultivation of the vine in the 19th C. The most common grapes are Grenache and Carignan.
- 10. DOQ Priorat: The Priorat (Tarragona) hugged by DO Montsant, it is a region where some of the most reputed wines in the world are made. It is the only DO in Catalonia with the maximum seal of quality. The most cultivated varieties are Garnacha and Carignan.
- 11. DO Tarragona: An area with millenary wine tradition being the Roman Empire the real driver of this territory’s wines. With a Mediterranean climate very close to the sea, planted varieties cultivated are mostly white.
- 12. DO Terra Alta: Located in the interior of the province of Tarragona, with an extremelly sunny climate, little rain and clay soil, it produces very prestigious wines with high graduation. Main variety: White Grenache.
Visiting Barcelona and getting to know its culture and history through its wines, is a different way of getting into the most authentic and local customs, and if twined with gastronomy, it certainly is an essential part of a trip.
So, after getting to know food and wine Barcelona, you will be able to tell us what the best wine in Barcelona is.
Check out one of our Barcelona wine region experience: