Our D.O. Regions

Priorat D.O.Q. and Montsant D.O.

Wine from the Priorat region is not only the most highly regarded in Catalonia—it is some of the best in the world. That is why it has been granted its elite label of D.O.Q., or Qualified Destination of Origin.

Perhaps what gives the wine here its famous and unique personality are all the extremes in both its climate and beautiful geography. In addition to sharp temperature fluctuations between night and day, this slate-soiled land is full of majestic cliffs and steep hillsides where terraces sometimes have to be built to grow parts of vineyards.

Part of the Priorat region overlaps with another highly esteemed region, the Montsant DO, where the Capçanes cellers produce kosher wines in accordance with Jewish tradition in addition to other high quality wines. 

Among the most interesting spots in the region is where the Carthusian Priory (or Priorat) of Scala Dei founded its first monastery on the Iberian Peninsula in the 12th century. This site, situated at the foot of the Montsant mountain range, is where the region’s winemaking tradition originated. The society thrived there until 1835 when the church shut the monastery operations down, but the ruins can still be toured through alongside vineyards that are stronger than ever before.

While refining your palate, you may also want to note this region’s production of world-class olive oils, which are also classified into DOs. One of the best olive oils comes from the Priorat town of Siurana, which is set upon a mountain rounded with austere cliffs. As the last Moorish stronghold in Catalonia, this town also comes with its own set of intriguing historical legends.

Priorat

Red Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Samsó, Mazuela, Garnacha Tinta and Garnacha Peluda
White Grape Varieties: Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Pedro Ximinez, Garnacha Tinta
Rosé: Garnacha Tinta

Montsant

Red Grape Varieties: Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), Cabernet Sauvignon, Samsó, Mazuela, Garnacha Tinta, Garnacha Peluda, Merlot, Monastrell, Picapoll  and Syrah
White Grape Varieties: Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Chardonnay, Muscat, Parellada, Pansal

Empordá D.O. and Southern France

Viticulture has thrived in the North Eastern corner of Spain and Southern France ever since the Greeks started it here centuries ago. Specialties of this region include mostly red wines, intense cherry-colored rosés and Garnacha de L’Empordá, a sweet and silky dessert wine. Sometimes the high quality wines of this region are blended with “crianza” vintage wines to produce a unique bouquet with a complex, spicy, tasty and full flavor.

One of the most popular wineries in the region today is Castell de Perelada.  The symbol of this vineyard is its middle age castle fortified with two beautiful towers. Next to it is an old monastery for Carmelite monks, who started the vineyard and bodegas in the 14th century. The castle’s library stores parchments from this period clearly document the viticultural history here, as well as over 80,000 volumes including illuminated manuscripts, gothic manuscripts, cunabulas and other bibliographic treasures.

Further up are Southern French towns like Banyuls and Colliure, known for their sweet wines. The Garnacha and Carinyena vintages here take advantage of an exceptional climate, with a lot of sun and a strong wind called tramuntana, which gives the wine a unique character and a surprisingly savory bouquet. The bohemian town of Colliure happens to sit right on the Mediterranean, offering visitors picturesque views of its coastline and a majestic castle.

Red Grape Varieties: Carinyena, Garnacha, Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
White Grape Varieties: Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Chardonnay, Moscatel

Cava D.O.

Because of its immense impact on the culture and economy of Catalonia, Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) has its own Destination of Origin (D.O.). Cava comes in four variations: brut, dry, semi-dry and sweet. This celebrative libation—made from Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo grapes—is usually served in a glass flute to highlight the bubbles sparkling upward.

Cava holds a special place in the hearts of Catalans because it represents the viticultural renaissance Catalonia had in the mid-19th century. A phylloxera epidemic had previously wiped out almost all the region’s vineyards—many of which had been growing grapes for centuries. But when the microbiological research of Louis Pasteur was used both to overcome this epidemic and enable control of the second fermentation for sparkling wines, Catalonia’s vineyard culture was revived. The joy of this revival can also be seen in the great care some of the most popular Modernist architects put into new wine cellars, like the one at Codorniu by Puig i Cadafalch.

Cava originated in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia with the research and experimentations of people like the Raventós family, who still own Codorniu cava. Sant Sadurní d’Anoia still produces 75 percent of the 200 million bottles made every year in Catalonia.  This is also where Cava Week is held in the beginning of October, complete with a Cava Queen, her speech and a train to tour different cellars.

Sant Sadurní d’Anoia and its surrounding areas in the Penedés region are ideal for cava production because its soils are calcareous and permeable to water while the typical Mediterranean climate offers many sunny days during mild winters and not excessively warm summers.

To learn more about the cava-making process, click here Hyperlink to Consejo Regulador del Cava (Regulator Council of Cava)

White Grape Varieties: Mostly Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo, but in a few areas Chardonnay, Subirat Parent, Malvasia Riojana

Conca de Barberá D.O.

The viticultural roots of this region come from the beautiful Abbey of Poblet and its Order of the Templars.  But today, many Modernist-designed wine cellars, known as “cathedrals of wine,” also make up its post phylloxera heritage. Surrounded by mountains and crossed by two rivers, the Anguera and the Francolí, the landscape is as beneficial for the vineyards as it is for a set of nature-loving eyes. This region’s alluvial and predominately calcareous soil help provide the freshness and lightness typical of the white wines produced here.

Red Grape Varieties: Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah
White Grape Varieties: Macabeo, Parellada, Chardonnay
Rosés: Native variety of Trepat

Costers del Segre D.O.

This region is characterized by its diversity and its extremes. In general, vineyards here receive high solar radiation and low rainfall. But the terrain of plains and mountains is so diverse, this DO is split into 7 subzones.

Red Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo).
White Grape Varieties: Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling (most of which make cava)

Pla de Bages D.O.

As its numbers of international wine awards increase, so has the popularity of this small wine region. The low mountains, scant rainfall and broad fluctuation in temperature make this an ideal place for wine to build a little character. Vineyards here are surrounded by vine growing huts and dry stone buildings that are typical of the area’s viticultural tradition. The vines here produce a poor yield, but the grapes are of excellent quality.

Red Grape Varieties: Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), Merlot, Sumoll, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha Tinta, Pinot Noir and Syrah
White Grape Varieties: Picapoll blanc, Macabeo, Parellada, Chardonnay

Tarragona D.O.

The soil of Tarragona has been offering up wonderful wines since it was the Iberian capital of the Roman Empire centuries ago. Today the area specializes in licoroso, these are sweet, fortified wines, and rancios - dry wines which are both known for their bouquets and frank tastes.  The most unique, however, is the Tarragona Classic or “Vi de missa” (wine for mass).

Red Grape Varieties: Garnacha Tinta, Cariñena, Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
White Grape Varieties: Macabeo, Garnacha Blanca, Pedro Ximénez

Terra Alta D.O.

In this southernmost Catalan wine region are many more of the famous “wine cathedral” cellars, where architects like César Martinell used innovative blueprint designs to celebrate the vitality of the vineyards here. High solar radiation, poor soil, a cold north-westerly “cerç” and south-westerly “garbí” winds provide excellent ripening for the grapes here.  The region mostly specializes in the harvesting of Garnacha Blanca grapes for wonderful white wines. But naturally sweet red wines, “mistela” fortified wines and dry “rancios” wines from grapes over-ripened by autumn’s “cerç” are also unique specialties of the region.

 Red Grape Varieties: Garnacha
White Grape Varieties: Garnacha Blanca

Catalunya D.O.

Covers all regions in Catalonia, including wines not in any other D.O. but deserving brand backing because of their high quality. Cataluña D.O. makes powerful, frank, intense and highly balanced red wines, the generally light and very fruity white wines, a rosés and traditional “Licoroso” (sweet high-alcohol wines), “Rancios” ( blends of must with wine alcohol), and natural sweet wines.