Penedès DOPPenedès (Catalan pronunciation:) is a Spanish Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) (Denominació d'Origen Protegida in Catalan) for wines in Catalonia, (Spain). As of 2025 harvest, Penedès makes history as the first wine appellation with 100% certified organic production.
Sparkling wineSparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it, making it fizzy, unlike a still wine. While it is common to refer to this as champagne, European Union countries legally reserve that word for products exclusively produced in the Champagne region of France. Sparkling wine is usually either white or rosé, but there are examples of red sparkling wines such as the ItalianBrachetto, Bonarda and Lambrusco, and the Australian sparkling Shiraz.
ParelladaParellada (Catalan pronunciation:) is a Spanish white grape variety of Catalan origin specially grown in Catalonia, Spain. With Macabeu and Xarel·lo, it is one of the three traditional varieties used to make the sparkling wineCava, which is primarily produced in Catalonia. Besides its use in Cava, it is used mostly for blending in young white wines, although some more ambitious oaked blends with Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc are also used.
Xarel·loXarel·lo (Catalan pronunciation:) is a white grape variety of Spanish origin specially grown in Catalonia. With Macabeo and Parellada, Xarel·lo is one of the three traditional varieties used to make the sparkling winecava. Spanish plantations stood at 8,043 hectares (19,870 acres) in 2008. Xarel·lo wine can be strongly flavored and is more aromatic than the other two cava grape varieties.
Traditional methodThe traditional method for producing sparkling wine is the process used in the Champagne region of France to produce Champagne. It is also the method used in various French regions to produce sparkling wines (not called "Champagne"), in Spain to produce cava, in Portugal to produce Espumante and in Italy to produce Franciacorta.
MacabeoMacabeo, also called Viura or Macabeu (Catalan:, French:), is a white variety of winegrape. It is widely grown in the Rioja region of northeastern Spain, the Cava producing areas south of Barcelona, and the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. Spanish plantations stood at nearly 45,000 hectares (110,000 acres) in 2015, making it the second most grown white grape variety in Spain. In France, plantations accounted for 2,800 hectares (6,900 acres) in 2007.
Codorníu WineryCodorníu (Catalan pronunciation:) is the oldest and second-largest producer of Cava, the Spanish traditional methodsparkling wine. Founded in 1551 near Barcelona, it is one of the oldest companies in Spain and one of the oldest wineries worldwide. HistoryThe Codorníu family’s wine business goes back to the middle of the 16th century. A document of that period states that the family had several machines and implements relating to the wine industry.
RoséA rosé (French:) is a type of wine that incorporates some of the color from the grape skins, but not enough to qualify it as a red wine. It may be the oldest known type of wine, as it is the most straightforward to make with the skin contact method. The pink color can range from a pale "onionskin" orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grape varieties used and winemaking techniques.
CataloniaCatalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a nationality by its Statute of Autonomy. Its territory is situated on the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, to the south of the Pyrenees mountain range. Catalonia is administratively divided into four provinces or eight vegueries (regions), which are in turn divided into 43 comarques.
White wineWhite wine is a wine that is fermented without undergoing the process of maceration, which involves prolonged contact between the juice and the grape skins, seeds, and pulp. The wine color can be straw-yellow, yellow-green, or yellow-gold. It is produced by the alcoholic fermentation of the noncolored pulp of grapes, which may have a skin of any color. White wine has existed for at least 4,000 years.
SpainCountry in Southern and Western EuropeSpain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Europe and the fourth-most populous European Union (EU) member state.
Denominación de origenIn Spain and Latin America, the denominación de origen (Spanish:; lit.'designation of origin') is part of a regulatory geographical indication system used primarily for foodstuffs such as cheeses, condiments, honey, and meats, among others. In wines, it parallels the hierarchical systems of France (1935) and Italy (1963), although Rioja (1925) and Jerez (1933) preceded the full system.
Sant Sadurní d'AnoiaSant Sadurní d'Anoia (Catalan pronunciation: [ˌsan səðuɾˈni ðəˈnɔjə]) is a municipality in the comarca of the Alt Penedès in Catalonia; and the centre of production of a sparkling wine known as cava. It is situated in the north-east of the Penedès Depression at the confluence of the Avernó river and the Anoia river. It is accessible by the AP-7 autopis and the Renfe railway line (R4) that connect Barcelona with Manresa and El Vendrell.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.