Barcelona is a land of wines and wine lovers. Romans and
Iberians were already cultivating vineyards to produce the favorite drink of the gods that has so marked the landscape, economy and culture of the regions of Barcelona. Currently, wine tourism offers many opportunities to deepen your knowledge of this product, enjoy nature and learn the secrets of a two-thousand-year-old tradition, on day or half-day trips that can be done comfortably by train.
In fact, one of the most affordable wine tourism destinations is within the municipal area of Barcelona. In Collserola, on the slopes of Santa Creu d'Olorda, are the vineyards and the Can Calopa farmhouse, a municipally owned estate where unique wines and oils come from. The L'Olivera cooperative has managed it since 2010 as a social project.
The farmhouse is within the Collserola natural park (at kilometer 4.8 of the BV-1468 road), where 2.5 hectares of red grape strains (Syrah, Grenache and Sangiovese) are sustainably cultivated. They produce 3,500 bottles a year of Vinyes de Barcelona (syrah, garnacha), with Catalunya designation of origin, and natural red wine from Can Calopa (sangiovese). Although it is located within the municipality of Barcelona, the natural access is from Molins de Rei (station of the Catalonia Cercanías lines R1 and R4).
Can Calopa offers every day (Tuesday to Sunday, by reservation) the opportunity to discover these unique wines and the social agriculture project behind them. During the visit you will discover a 16th century farmhouse, the cultivation technique and the day-to-day life of a winery like no other. At the end, the wines and oils are tasted on the terrace-viewpoint with views of Tibidabo.
The Alella wine-growing area, straddling the Maresme and the Vallès Oriental, is also home to incredible views over the Mediterranean Sea, home to the designation of origin closest to Barcelona and smaller in size: 230 hectares and only nine producers. The rail access point is El Masnou station (Cercanías line 1).
Here the vineyards grow in a sandy terrain of granitic origin and white color, the sablón. Among the producers, the Alella Vinícola cooperative, founded in 1906, stands out. Its winery, located in the center of the town, is the work of modernist architect Jeroni Martorell i Terrats, and can be visited every day with prior reservation. On the outskirts, on the Camino Baix de Tiana, stands the Can Genís estate, in nineteenth-century style, headquarters of the family company Alta Alella, which offers different options to learn about its exclusively ecological agriculture. The visit with tasting is the most emblematic and includes a walk through the vineyards, the tour of the winery and the cava.
Also within the Alella area, but in the Vallesan sector, on the outskirts of Santa Maria de Martorelles, stands the Can Roda farmhouse, from the 19th century, built on the demolition of another from the 15th century. The estate has seven hectares of vineyards with strains of the white raisin (the most characteristic), muscatel, merlot and cabernet varieties with which up to 13 different wines are produced.
The vineyard dominates the landscape of Penedès, the main wine-growing area of Catalonia, with more than 25,000 hectares, which benefit from a climate modulated by the proximity of the sea and the mountains. Of the wide range of products, the white, light and aromatic wines stand out. The rosés are fragrant and fruity, and the reds are intense and light. Sparkling wines are also made, with an intense aroma. Two towns in Penedès, Vilafranca del Penedès and Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, are considered the Catalan capitals of wine.
Both have been connected by rail since 1865.
To enter the world of cava, a safe option is to go to Codorníu, the oldest family business in Spain, with involvement in viticulture for 450 years. The cellars are located on the outskirts of Sant Sadurní, half an hour's walk from the station (Commuter Line R4), and can be visited every day of the week.
With the title “Journey to the origins of cava”, the experience begins with an audiovisual, continues with a tour of the historic building of the winery, the work of Josep Puig i Cadafalch, the entrance to the underground cellars, the explanation of the dense history of the brand, a train ride and different exhibitions of machinery and models.
If it is about taking a fun immersion into the world of Penedès still wines, there is an option on foot of the train in Granada: 450 meters from the station (R4) Ferrer and Catasús have their headquarters. Its proposal is an itinerary to discover the entire path of the grape, from the vine to the bottle, walking between the tanks, the barrels and the bottling room, until the moment of the tasting. You can go both weekdays and weekends, with prior reservation.
In central Catalonia, at the foot of Montserrat, the wine-growing area of Pla de Bages demands attention. Its 15 wineries pride themselves on sourcing from their own vineyards and can boast a long winemaking tradition dating back to Roman times. In fact, it is said that the name of the region comes from Bacchus, the pagan god of wine.
Native grape varieties, such as Picapoll, give identity to the territory. Oller del Mas, a winery based near Manresa, not far from the Cercanías station, can also prove that it has recovered its red variety for some of its most original wines. The visit to the vineyards and the winery, the 4x4 route through the estate to see the dry stone huts, the ice well and the old pot oven and the exceptional views of Montserrat, are some of the attractions that make up its offer. of leisure.
