A TALE OF TWO CATALAN WINE REGIONS
Just outside Barcelona, Penedès and Priorat await you.
Confession: I thought Penedès and Priorat would feel the same. I was wrong. Just an hour apart, they couldn’t be more different — in landscape, in wine, in spirit. Side by side, they show just how much range Catalonia has to offer. A region that never stops surprising.
I first came to Penedès chasing bubbles. Cava bubbles, to be precise. This is where Spain’s iconic sparkling wine is born — bright, refreshing, festive. The vibe here is generous and accessible, like a long outdoor lunch under a pergola (of which we enjoyed many). This is where winemakers experiment boldly, where native grapes like Xarel·lo, Macabeo, and Parellada shine, and where international varietals like Chardonnay and Cabernet have found a Catalan accent. It is innovation grounded in tradition.
Then there’s Priorat, demanding a bit more of you. The drive alone tells you everything: steep, winding roads adjoining dramatic cliffs, terraces carved into slate hillsides, tiny stone villages perched as if holding on for dear life. The wines are equally intense. Powerful reds, mostly Garnacha and Cariñena, with a brooding edge, structured and age-worthy. You taste not just fruit, but minerals, herbs, the echo of heat and stone. Priorat doesn’t hand itself over easily — but when it does, it’s unforgettable. Wines from here don’t whisper; they command.
Food tells the same story. In Penedès, I lingered over pan con tomate glistening with local olive oil, grilled sardines, and paper-thin slices of jamón, fried whitefish and seafood paella, always with crisp whites keeping things light. In Priorat, meals were heartier: lamb braised with rosemary, earthy mushrooms gathered from the same hillsides as the vines, dishes that demanded the depth of a Garnacha or Cariñena to meet them halfway.
But to stop at the rustic would be to miss the other half of the story. Catalonia is also a place of remarkable modern cooking—chefs who take the traditions and spin them forward with creativity and precision. You’ll find dishes that honor the same roots as the simplest country meal, but reimagined with bold technique and unexpected combinations. It’s a reminder that while the soul of Catalan cuisine is humble and grounded, its expression is as inventive and exhilarating as anywhere in the world.
I love vermouth, so I was in my element in Catalonia. But I’d somehow never set foot in a distillery before. At Padró & Co. I finally did, and it opened my eyes—the layers of botanicals, the patience, the choices behind each style. I walked out with a deeper respect for something I’ve been drinking for years, and a little surprised I hadn’t done it sooner.
I’ve had some gloriously memorable moments here. A sunlit lunch under the pergola at Oriol Rossell vineyard, where crisp, citrus-tinged wines cut through the warmth of the day and the food — simple, fresh, perfectly matched — fostering a camaraderie that continued to resonate days later. An evening in the cellars of Familia Ferrer, where the owner poured not just wines but family history, stories woven between glasses.
At Clos de l’Obac, a tasting led by owner Carles Pastrana himself, pioneer and patriarch of modern Priorat. His wines spoke of slate and sun, but his presence — animated, generous, mischievous — was the real gift. Lastly and by no means least, a final night dinner at Pere Ventura, hosted by the vineyard’s co-owner Mireia Juve. The elegance of its historic estate — vaulted cellars, candlelit halls, the hush of heritage all around — provided the backdrop to an extraordinary meal and stunning wines.
When to visit? Take your pick. Spring in Penedès means green hills and blossoms, perfect for hikes or wine festivals. Summer brings long, hot afternoons cooled with a cold glass of Cava and a heaping plates of local seafood. Priorat in fall is a different kind of magic: harvest time, crisp air, the smell of fermenting grapes drifting from village cellars. Winter, with its fireside stews and bold reds, may be when Priorat feels most itself. You’re not really going to go wrong here.
Don’t choose between them. Taste both. Sip your way through Penedès, enjoy the ease and sparkle, then climb into Priorat for wines that demand your attention. Together, they show the full spectrum of Catalan’s offerings — and the best kind of wine travel contrast.
During my time in Catalonia I met wonderful people, some of whom have become cherished friends. I’m proud of my own heritage, but there is a bond here unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere. Separate from the wines, but in truth, inseparable from them, it isn’t just pride or history or passion—it’s the sheer joy they take in being Catalan. To raise a glass here is to taste something more than fruit and soil. It’s to taste that spirit. We are Catalans, and we created this from our very souls. It is what we are.
All I can say is—go. From Barcelona, and even Madrid, you are so close. Spend time here. You’ll understand.
Additionally:
I’m putting together a 2026 small group tour to Catalonia—just good wine, good food, and good company. If that sounds like you, reach me at gian@TASTEtourandtravel.com.
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