📍 Penedès

Penedès is a wine region in Catalonia in north-eastern Spain, south-west of Barcelona. Vineyards rise from the coast to the hills and fall into three zones: Baix Penedès by the sea, Penedès Central and Alt Penedès in the mountains. Because of the differences in height, many different grapes are grown here.

Penedès is known as the heart of Catalonia for making the sparkling wine Cava. The first Catalan sparkling wine by the Champagne method was made here in 1872. The main Cava grapes are Macabeo, Xarel·lo and Parellada. The centre of Cava is the town of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia. The name Cava as such is wider than Penedès, but most of it is made here. Well-known houses such as Codorníu, Freixenet and the Torres family also work here.

Besides Cava, Penedès makes still white, red and rosé wines. International and local grapes are both common: Sumoll, a red variety gaining popularity again, and Tempranillo, which is called Ull de Llebre here.

For comparison with its neighbours: to the south lie Tarragona and Priorat with powerful reds, to the north-west Costers del Segre, and to the north Alella and Empordà.