Barcelona, Spain 5/25/2006 10:19:36 PM
News / Travel

Viniculture in Catalunya, Spain

The warm and sunny wheather during May and August among the Mediterranean coast attracts a large amount of tourists every year and initiates the wine-season at the same time. Both, the tourist season and the viniculture are linked directly to each other and there are many special tours to wineries and the characteristic landscape. Among some of the most popular wine regions like La Rioja or Jerez with its famous Sherry one will also find Penedes, Catalunya. Penedes is located in the north of Barcelona and still today profits from its direct connection to the Catalan capital, which makes distribution easy and which gives an image support due to its international reputation. Generally, viniculture was established in the 1960s but traces back to the year 400 a.d.. Later on, the hills were cultivated by Romans, who even had their own wineries because they were already realizing the high quality of the regional wines. In a whole there are three different zones: Baix Penedès (up to 250 m sealevel), Mitja Penedès (up to 500 m) and Alt Penedès (up to 850 m), which sum up 27.500 hectare of land. 2500 hrs of sun each year and different types of grounds complete the high attractiveness for viniculture. In 1960, the mayor even decided that red wine of that region should only be produced for the citizens of Barcelona in order to keep prices low and to secure the citie's supply. Today, this manner has changed, of course. Many different types of wines are produced and more than ¼ are exported. Well-known is certainly the famous sparkling wine Freixenet, which again shows the changing habit of producing white wine as well.

Spain has a total amount of 1.200.000 ha of cultivated ground for viniculture, which is the largest acreage for wine in the whole world. The different areas are cultivated by 150.000 vintagers, who work in nearly 5.000 wineries. 300 of them are in Catalunya, where they produce the famous 'Cava' (sparkling wine) and several red wines. Some of these vineyards are in the direct surrounding of Barcelona, which offers the chance to sample wines on a sunny weekend. The mentioned winery of Penedes is known worldwide and surely has a superb reputation. Further vineyards are Conca de Barberá and Alella in the same region or Priorato and Taragona in the south of Barcelona. All destinations can be reached within approx. 1 h by car and are ideal for a daytrip. Especially, because you will be able to gaze at the lovely countryside when you drive all along the mediterranean coast. Several stops can be made at beaches like Sitges, Rosas or Miami Playa. Moreover, you can also visit the city Taragona and enjoy a day off Barcelona.

In order to travel independently people should consider hiring a car if they arrived by plane or by train. Having an own apartment in Barcelona (search on www.oh-barcelona.com , for instance) would additionally simplify tours like these because one does not depend on the eating schedule of hotels. As living in an apartment is usually cheaper, visitors would also be able to afford more money on a daytrip and doing a wine-tasting, for instance. Thus, one could profit more from a short stay in Barcelona without sticking to the usual attractions.

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