– Wine tasting as extra activity
– Wine and tapas tour in the city
– Cellars tour
WINE TOUR
Spanish wine has kept pace, generating an explosion of new wines, wineries, brands, and regions that is unprecedented in vinous history. But when we consider what kind of Spanish wine to enjoy, enthusiastically comes “sangria!” Of course, Spain has much more to offer in wine than just that tasty pitcher drink.
We may organize a private wine tasting as extra activity in any of our tours. Tasting activity should take only 1 extra hour and we may find fantastic options on any of the city’s neighborhoods to learn about wines and about our people. After the visit to Sagrada Familia, while strolling around the Old District or to finish in front of the beaches, that’s a nice way to have a first impression of local best wines.
Wine and tapas half-day tour . A 4-hrs tour with a private guide to taste our way of life and learn about wine, including some traditional and vanguard cuisine tapas in several specialized stores and bars with class and charm. This is a different and food-lovers way to have a personal 4h-city tour in Barcelona, crafted to explore main sites and enjoy food and wine (and other beverages: vermut, cava, beer or soft drinks). Normally we’ll do a walking tour in one of the city districts, recommending 4 main areas: Eixample, Gotic/Raval, Poble Sec/Montjuic or Barceloneta/Ribera. In any case we have a large choice of bars and tapas styles: trendy, revolutionary, historical or traditional gastronomies and wineries, served as appetizers not to stop pleasure and get the insider’s approach. Enjoy the leisurely-paced mealtime ritual, a rarity in today’s hectic world. Most of tapas bars are opened from Tuesday to Sunday, midday to midnight, so this city tailored tour is offered every afternoon or evening.
Cellars tour. Cellar tours can be a 4 to 8-hour tailored tour. We Will visit one or several cellars with full explanations of the wine-making process or cava-making process (Cava is the name we use here for champagne). Moreover, we’ll discover the main varieties used on the fields and, of course, we’ll enjoy some tasting of the final product. The options are unlimited covering any of the 9 main DO in Catalunya, so the tour may be organized after your preferences on wine styles. We recommend the DO Penedès because of its proximity to Barcelona, or DO Priorat because its growing international reputation after a young generation of winemakers. Of course, there’s the option to combine the cellars tour with another one out of town trip: Sitges, Montserrat, Tarragona, Costa Brava, Castles tour… This tour may be adapted to satisfy all travelers as many cellars offer unique experiences regardless the age: tramways trip, bike ride, 4×4 ride… Afterwards we can go for a typical meal in a restaurant near the cellars to enjoy the main delicacies upon the season.
Spain is the most widely planted wine producing nation in the world. The country has moreover an abundance of native grape varieties, though 80 percent of the Spanish wine production is from only 20 grapes—including the reds Tempranillo, Garnacha (Grenache), and Monastrell; the whites Albariño, Airen and Ondarribi Zuri; and the three cava grapes Parellada, Xarel•lo and Macabeo. Archaeologists believe that these grapes were first cultivated sometime between 4000 and 3000 BC. Modern Spanish wine DO system (Denominación Origen or awarded winemaking regions) was first created in 1932 and later revised in 1970. Soon after dictatorship the quality and production volume of premium wines began to overtake the presence of generic Spanish bulk wines on the market and Spain’s reputation entering the 21st century was that of a serious wine producing country that could compete with other producers in the world wine market.
We have 9 main DO at few hours distance from Barcelona: Alella, Emporda, Costers de Segre, Montsant, Penedès, Pla del Bages, Priorat, Tarragona and Terra Alta. In Catalunya, elevation as well as proximity and exposure to the sea are crucial to understanding what is made and why. The vineyards of the area may be fairly moderate and coastal, or remote and mountainous.One of the wines locals are more proud about is Cava, which in fact is the word used for wine cellars, but also the name given to the sparkling wine produced in them after champagnoise method. The DO Penedès is home to 95% of the country’s total Cava wine production, but also exotic, powerful, warm and mineral-laden wines. The region of Penedès is the largest DO in Catalunya, with an extension dedicated to vineyards of about 27542 ha, along the river Anoia. Traditionally here most of the cellars have been ruled by only one family, so still most are small or medium-sized properties and in many cases adapted to organic production.
