In mid-September, I and 4 other New York-based journalists were invited to spend 6 days in the Catalan region of Spain on a Wine, Culture & Festival trip. While I was there I saw no Spanish flags but lots of Catalunya (Catalonia in Spanish) pride. Catalan is a separate language and not a dialect of Spanish, and the people consider themselves Catalan, not Spanish. There has even been much talk of becoming a separate country. But this is not a political story but one about wine.
Catalonia lies at the northeast of Spain, bordering the Pyrenees Mountains and France in the north. The Mediterranean Sea is to the east, Valencia to the south, and Aragon to the west. The winters are not too severe and summer is uniformly sunny and hot, with cooling breezes from the Mediterranean. It is an ideal location for winemaking. One can choose to spend time in Barcelona (we did), go to the beach (we did), or explore the Pyrenees (we did not). Through August of 2013, there were over 42.3 million international tourists visiting Spain. In 2012, Catalan entertained over 15 million international visitors, which represents 25% of all international arrivals in Spain.
Wine has been produced here since the time of the Romans, who started planting and producing grapes near Tarragona (which was the Iberian capital at the time). Since then, the winemaking region spread and flourished until the 19th-century Phylloxera crisis killed most of the red grapes grown there. Today, Catalunya has 11 regions of Denominació d'Origen (DO) and 1 Denominació d'Origen Qualificada (DOQ). Priorat and Rioja are Spain’s two DOQs. The Catalunya DO appellation was Spain's first region-wide, cover-all DO title. Created in 1999, it covers all of the vineyards that were not covered by any of the region's other 11 DOs. Approximately 25% of the total wine production in Spain is produced in Catalonia. Spain has more land area in grape production, 2.9 million acres planted, than any other country. It is #3 in global wine production behind France and Italy (The US is #5). In consumption, Spain is 9th in the world.
Priorat – Old winemaking region with a modern twist in this tiny, mountainous region near Barcelona. Terraced hillsides of slate are common with very old vines of Garnacha and Cariñena, typically blended with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. These are massive, inky wines of distinct character and reputation. We used motorized bikes to visit the vineyards.
Penedes Spanish Wine Region is close in proximity to Barcelona on the Mediterranean coastline. The region is known for its Cava sparkling wine. Cava is the Spanish term for sparkling wine. It is produced in the Traditional Method, much like Champagne, where the wine ferments in the bottle, until it is ready to be corked. Cava is usually a blend of 3 grapes: Viura (aka Macabeo), Parellada, and Xarel.lo. The name Cava derived from the “caves” where the sparkling wine was created. Cava wines spend 9 months aging in bottles following fermentation. 90% of Spanish Cava wines come from the Penedes region.
Spain has over 1.6 million acres of vines and today there are more than 146 varieties.
Spanish Red Grapes
- Tempranillo: Spain’s most famous and noble grape.
- Garnacha: Known as Grenache in the rest of the world. It is the most prominent grape in Priorat, making luscious and full-bodied reds.
- Graciano: Best grown in Rioja.
- Mazuelo: Also known as Cariñena, and Carignan in France.
- Cariñena: Important grape in Priorat: Carignan in France.
- Monastrell: Used mainly in Catalonia, makes juicy wines, Known as Mourvèdre in France.
Spanish White Grapes
- Albariño: Makes Spain´s most elegant white wines.
- Viura/Macabeo: Main white grape in Penedes. (Cava)
- Xarel.lo: One of the Cava grapes.
- Parellada: Native to Catalonia, a key component of Cava.
- Airén: Spain’s most widely planted grape variety.
A visit to Torres - Probably the best-known Spanish wine in the US is Spain’s largest family-owned winery- Torres. In 1870 Jaime Torres established a winery at Vilafranca del Penedes, an hour-plus drive from Barcelona. In 1979, Torres Corona Mas La Plana 1970 beat out Chateau Latour and other Bordeaux wines in the Gault Millau Paris Olympiad blind tasting. The winery is run today by Miguel Torres Jr with wineries in Chile, California, as well as Catalonia, Rioja, Toro, Ribera del Duero, and Conca de Barbera. They have introduced grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Noir not commonly used in Spanish wines. I almost felt I was at a Disney theme park with the tram tour through a tunnel under the winery. The tram also takes visitors through the grounds and to view a film about the firm. There is a museum, tasting room, and gift shop. If you are a special guest you might be invited to lunch with Miguel Jr. in the nearby town where his family lives.
For More Information:
www.catalunya.com
www.barcelonaturisme.com
www.torres.es
