The history of Penedés, like that of Cataluña, of which it is part, is as old as the history of Spain itself. The urge for independence, which is so characteristic of this region, probably arose because this area (then a kingdom) was occupied by the Moors for a very short time. The residents fled across the Pyrenees to France, regrouped and fought back under the leadership of Charlemagne who incorporated the area to his Frankish Empire.

Some of Spain’s best wines come from the Penedés and are often a composition of indigenous and exotic grapes. They are usually light, fresh, pure, rich in fruit and have a beautiful finish. The white Penedés wines are currently competing with Rueda and Rías Baixas for the title “The Classic White Wine of Spain”. The red Penedés wines are also getting better too and according to many producers the next logical step is to create a red Penedés at the same quality level as the white ones. They experiment with different types of crianza and a few bodegas bring a tempranillo / cabernet sauvignon / garnacha composition with style and character. Sweet malvasía / moscatel is made in Sitges, on the coast. A few older producers still make traditional “rancio” and some bodegas produce a “vino espumoso” (sparkling wine) that is not the same as Cava.