📍 Empordà

Empordà is a wine area in north-eastern Catalonia, in the province of Girona, between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, on the Costa Brava. A strong northern wind called the tramuntana blows here, drying the vineyards and protecting them from disease.

The main grapes are the red Cariñena (locally called Samsó) and Garnacha, and among whites Garnacha Blanca and Muscat. Cariñena from old vineyards gives rich reds. Rosés are made too, and the sweet fortified Garnatxa d'Empordà and wines from dried grapes are a local speciality.

Soils are granite, slate and clay. The denomination of origin (DO) has existed since the 1970s. The area is familiar to travellers from the resorts of the Costa Brava.

Empordà is part of Catalonia; Priorat and Penedès lie to the south, but Empordà is smaller, closer to France, and its climate is maritime. Empordà whites go very well with the fish and seafood of the Costa Brava, and the reds with Catalan cooking. The name Empordà on a label shows that the grapes grew in this very area, which makes it easy to look for similar wines.