What is your type of winery? [Part 1]
January 2023
Penedès Wine Route has more than 70 wineries to visit, each with its own personality. With so many options, we know it might be difficult to choose, so to help you out, we have decided to create a series of posts where we will recommend wineries according to you interests.
In this first post, we have compiled a list according to 5 profiles to match your personality with your ideal winery. And if we didn't get it right this time, don't worry and stay tuned for the next posts, or you can even suggest what type of winery you would like to find next time at info@penedesturisme.cat.
For more help on the spot, you can stop by any of our Tourist Offices and ask our friendly informants, who will surely be able to give you a hand.
The legacy of Art Nouveau -or modernisme- in the Penedès area can be found in all kinds of constructions, from private houses to functional buildings, such as some wineries.
If you want to see expressions of art-nouveau within Penedès Wine Route, approach the exceptional architectural work of Josep Puig i Cadafalch in Codorníu. The family house, the cellar, the gardens and the main building that welcomes you are full of details, such as the colored stained glass windows, the trencadís made of cava bottles and the vaults and rounded shapes.
You can also appreciate modernist expressions of Ludens winery, where the Masia Grabuach is located, which dates from 1747 and was remodeled in 1920 by the prestigious Puig i Cadafalch in the art-nouveau style. You will also find some modernist works in Mascaró, Oriol Rossell or Freixenet, direct witnesses of this international Catalan artistic movement.
L’empremta del modernisme al Penedès es troba en tota mena de construccions, des de cases particulars a edificis funcionals, com en alguns cellers.
We want to seduce you with food here, so we are going to start with a good servings of wineries with their own restaurant. Booking a wine tour and end up your day with a menu specially designed to pair the house wines... it makes it for the most special experience.
Tip: food & wine activities
You will be pleasantly surprised by all the gastronomic activities offered by wineries. Most have the option of aperitifs to accompany the wines, from just a snack to more elaborate hot or cold tapas. But if what you really want is a unique experience, book a picnic or brunch, or go for an educational -and delicious- wine& food pairing, such as those with wine and cheese, with charcuterie, or sparkling wines with chocolates.
Lately, Wine Bars in cellars have become a new way to enjoy Penedès wines, by the glass or by the bottle, in a cozy and relaxed atmosphere. But most of all, they are the new hot spot for friends gatherings, a new venue to disconnect from everyday life and connect with your loved ones. The dolce far niente. When you come, you'll soon know what we're talking about...
Beautiful places with curated details, usually in the open air and great views, where adults enjoy the landscape, the wine and the conversation and the little ones enjoy being in direct contact with nature... and the aperitif!
Most Wine Bars are open all year, especially on weekends, and during the summertime, opening hours change to avoid the scorching temperatures, so they open their doors at sunset, to enjoy wine, lie music, stargazing or some alfresco dinner.
Penedès Wine Route has more than 20 wineries with Wine Bars. Have you found your new favorite spot yet?
In a wine-growing area, it is most common to find wineries surrounded by their vineyards, so usually you need to have a means of transport to visit them.
If you don't have your own vehicle or don't want to use it, a good option is to visit wineries that are located in an urban setting, so inside a village or a small city. Then, you may arrive to Penedès by public transport and move from one place to another on foot or by bike.
Hidden underneath the streets of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, for example, there are many meters of old-carved tunnels where barrels and bottles are quietly ageing, and countless stories are kept.
Sustainability is a very broad concept. There can be sustainable practices in vine-growing, in the conservation of energy or water and in the practices of wine elaboration, but in this case, we will focus on the wineries that put their best foot forward for a tourism model with sustainable practices, specifically, in all those wineries that have worked for the Biosphere Sustainable Lifestyle recognition.
Biosphere is a program where companies, entities and destinations commit to annually implement sustainable improvements in their tourism services, which are validated by audit, such as good water management in hospitality centers, energy efficiency or adapting tours to the public with functional diversity. The Biosphere recognition is the best sign of commitment for a sustainable future in tourism in our destination.
Inspira't
