10 unexpected places wine lovers should visit in the picturesque, lesser-known regions of Catalonia, Spain
Gastro Obscura’s Guide to Sipping Wine in Catalonia

Had it not been for Carlos Esteva, this idyllic spot now home to one of Can Ràfols dels Caus’ vineyards might have been turned into a cement quarry. When Esteva arrived here on what used to be his grandfather’s farm, in 1979, he discovered a derelict 17th-century farmhouse and an arid plot of land so barren it seemed beyond saving. Today, this beautifully restored winery set 1,000 feet above sea level on the Garraf coast produces some of Catalonia’s most celebrated wines, from the Gran Caus range to the latest addition of Terraprima – wines made from grapes grown on that very same plot that was destined to become a quarry. Visitors can have breakfast in the centuries-old farmhouse before visiting the cellar built into the rock and tasting the wines.

Wine tasting can be a grueling, glorious business and there invariably comes a point where you need a little nap. Don’t fret, Montrubí has you covered. This family-owned, organic winery invites its guests to snuggle up in Boutique Hotel Casa Gran 1771, a 10-room boutique hotel located on the same premises as the winery. This is also the place to sample the Sumoll grape, a little-known black variety, native to Catalunya that is almost extinct – or at least it was until it was championed by a small handful of wineries, including Montrubí. Under the guidance of Josep Queralt, a local winemaker who grew up in the village, the winery was one of the pioneers in in reintroducing Sumoll red wines, with its Gaintus (100% Sumoll) making a considerable contribution to their resurgence.

Corpinnat is a new high-profile wine designation founded in 2017 by a breakaway group of winemakers based in the Penedès. The founding houses - six in total - included some of the most prestigious names in Catalan sparkling wine-making who decided to separate themselves from the existing DO for Spanish bubbly – DO Cava – and, instead, create a new label. The aim: to distinguish the superb organic sparkling wines produced by the historic wineries in the heart of the Penedès. One such example is Gramona, a fifth-generation winemaking family who started making wine back in 1950. These days, the winery is a sustainability pioneer, offering visitors the opportunity to stroll through the vineyards and see how organic and biodynamic agriculture works before visiting the winery with its bioclimatic architecture and some of the most cutting-edge eco-sustainability technology in the wine industry. As for the historic cellar, where the traditional processes are still used to make sparkling wines, it looks like something out of Games of Thrones.

A stunning 16,000-square-foot wine cellar inspired by the genius of Catalonia’s most famous architect Antoni Gaudí (of Sagrada Família fame) is the main draw at Perinet winery’s Mas del Xes vineyard. In this magical setting, guests can enjoy barrel tastings of three single-varietal wines from the Perinet winery, and an additional premium limited-edition wine, as part of a personalized tasting experience that also includes locally sourced cheese and cold cuts from nearby producers. Mas del Xes is one of three vineyards on the 30-hectare Perinet estate, which was once home to the French Perinet family who moved here from France in the 18th century. Each vineyard has its own distinct microclimate, creating a wide range of characteristics for the Grenache, Carignan, Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot grape varieties that grow on steeply sloping terraces.

Considering the quality of the wine alone, DOQ Priorat deserves to be one of the most traveled wine regions in Spain, yet it lags far behind the likes of Rioja, Ribera del Duero and even Penedès in terms of visitor numbers. Why, you may ask? Firstly, it is quite small and remote and, secondly, accommodation options in these parts are rather limited – or at least they were, until recently. The newly opened, ultra-chic Mas d’en Bruno hotel has been accepting guests since May this year, but, five centuries ago, it was a farmhouse belonging to the Bruno family. Like many houses in the region, it was originally built using bricks pillaged from the Scala Dei monastery after the Spanish government sent the monks into exile – or so the legend goes. Today, Mas d’en Bruno is an elegant boutique hotel with 24 suites, a 65-foot infinity pool, and a restaurant that serves tasting menus paired with the finest local wines. 

Situated less than 10 miles north of the Catalan capital, Alta Alella is not only the region’s number one winery, it is also ideal for wine lovers looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Barcelona for a couple of hours. Established in 1991, Alta Alella winery has been certified organic since day one, as it seeks to recover the region’s ancient vines and traditional grape varieties such as Pansa Blanca (known elsewhere as Xarel·lo) and Monastrell. Its whites and sparkling cavas are renowned for their fresh, crisp character and the unique minerality and salinity that comes from growing grapes so close to the sea. How close, you may wonder? The sandy beach at Masnou is only 10 minutes away by car making this the perfect day-trip destination for the entire family.

Do you like spas? Do you like wine? If the answer is “yes” then you will love the wine spa at the Peralada Resort. This five-star hotel in the midst of DO Empordà is possibly best known for its exclusive range of treatments based on grape polyphenols. As for the new Peralada winery, it is the first of its kind in Europe to earn the LEED® BD + C environmental and energy certification, developed by the US Green Building Council, for the sustainability and high efficiency of its design and construction.The newly built facility has the capacity to handle close to 2,700,000 kg grapes and produce some 1,900,000 liters of wine, or 2,240,000 bottles. This is a great place to lay your weary head after a day of tasting and submerging yourself in all the local vintages. 

If you've ever wondered how a German-South African might find themselves making wine deep in the Catalan countryside, look no further than Victoria Engelhorn and her Brugarol. A farm, winery, and guest house, the estate was founded by Victoria’s great uncle in the 1950s and then passed to her parents before they asked her to move here to manage it in 2017. Half-Spanish, half-German, and raised between Spain and Switzerland, Victoria – who these days feels more Spanish than anything else – lived in South Africa before returning to the family farm. Today, she oversees Brugarol’s two hotels and two restaurants and advises on the production of everything from olive oil to the yogurt, mató cheese, and ice-cream made from the milk that the farm’s own sheep produce. As for Brugarol’s still and sparkling wines, they have won multiple awards for their quality, craftsmanship and organic, additive-free production methods.

If you’re a grape geek, look no further than the Abadal winery in Pla de Bages. The first written reference to Picapoll in Bages is from the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages in 1564 and by the 19th century it was the most common white variety in the region. But in the 1930s, wine production in Bages – along with the rest of Catalonia – slowed considerably, leaving only a residual crop in the territory. Since its foundation in 1983, Abadal has researched the old vineyards as it seeks to rehabilitate the Picapoll variety. Today, this autochthonous grape that mainly results in young, elegant, easy-to-drink wine is back in business – and has become a major contributor to the success of DO Pla de Bages. Abadal is not the only winery using Picapoll grapes, but it was the first to market a wine made from 100% Picapoll.

The family who run the Oller del Mas winery are the 36th-generation heirs to a more than 1,000-year-old family history on this ancient estate. Adjacent to a 10th-century medieval castle that was fully restored between 1981 and 2008, every corner of the estate is packed with history. It’s a story of the many generations of Oller knights, noblemen, religious leaders, and master craftsmen who once lived here and left their mark on the region; a place through which Spanish Catholic priest and theologian Saint Ignatius of Loyola passed in the 16th century, on his pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The winery is fully organic and committed to preserving the identity of the grape varieties native to Pla de Bages, like Picapoll and Carignan. There are also 22 rustic-chic cabins idyllically set among the vines, pines and oak trees for guests wishing to extend their stay a little longer.