Salud! A Travel Guide for the Penedès Wine Region
Finca Mas Perdut, Baix Penedès
If you find yourself exploring Barcelona and craving an authentic wine experience, you are in luck! There are numerous ways to enjoy the Spanish wine scene in the city of Antoni Gaudí (architect of La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, and more).
A simple way to enjoy wine like a local is to order the vino de casa at a local Spanish or Catalan restaurant. These wines are sourced locally and selected to pair perfectly with regional cuisine.
For a hands-on experience like this one, learn how to make traditional sangria while cooking a classic dish, such as paella.
In wine bars, you can further explore Spanish wine by way of a tasting flight, a glass, or a bottle. Whichever you choose, be sure to pair it with some small plates, known as tapas.
While these options offer a fun way to discover the local wine scene, there is something special about tasting wine at the source. Spain’s mountainous terrain creates ideal conditions for producing wine, and as such, it has remained one of the world’s top wine producers year after year. The regions of Rioja in Northern Spain and Castile-La Mancha in Central Spain are some of the country’s most famous wine areas.
For an authentic wine experience close to Barcelona, venture to the beautiful Penedès region.
Arriving to Penedès
Baix Penedés vineyards
By car, you can arrive at the capital of the region, Vilafranca del Penedès, in under an hour, and many surrounding wineries are just 45 minutes away. If you prefer not to drive, you may take the R4 train and arrive in around 1 hour and 10 minutes.
The diverse landscape of Penedès supports the production of a wide array of wines, but the most famous is cava. Cava is a sparkling wine similar to French Champagne or Italian Prosecco, and 95% of Spanish cava production happens here.
In addition to excellent cava, this region produces a wide range of white, red, rosé, and sparkling wines.
Join me as we discover the best way to have an authentic wine experience in Penedès.
Cava
Savoring cava, Sola Raventos
A visit to Penedès simply must include a taste of some of the world’s most delicious sparkling wines.
Just as a wine may only be labeled champagne if it is grown in the Champagne region in France, a cava is only labeled so by being grown in the Cava Denomination of Origin (or DO) and by following strict fermentation standards. The three most common grapes used to craft Spanish cava are Xarel·lo, Macabeo, and Parellada.
Macabeo grapes, Finca Mas Perdut
Like champagne, cava achieves its first round of fermentation in steel tanks after the grape harvest and the second round (where the bubbles are formed) inside the bottle.
The amount of sugar added, if any, during fermentation determines whether the final profile will be drier, such as a cava brut nature, or sweeter, like a cava extra seco. Prosecco, Italy’s sparkling wine, is generally sweeter than champagne and cava and achieves its second fermentation in steel tanks.
Long-aged cava, Solà Raventós
To discover high-quality cava producers, travel to the subregion of Alt Penedès. Here, local wine makers are devoutly dedicated to the craft.
A fantastic taste of cava can be found in the town of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia at Solà Raventós. This family-owned winery is operated by a warm father-and-son team (Pere and Guifré) whose passion for cava is strong and infectious. The tasting is generous, and the cava at Solà Raventós is truly exceptional.
Cava celler, Solà Raventós
Just south of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia in the town of Lavern is the family-run institution of Cava Guilera. This winery has been producing limited-quantity, long-aged cava since 1927.
They are dedicated to crafting outstanding cavas using an organic and sustainable approach. Book a tranquil tasting amongst the vineyards at Cava Guilera to enjoy a classic Penedès wine experience.
Cava and cheese tasting, Cava Guilera
Additional Wine Varieties
Tempranillo grapes, Alt Penedès
For those looking to venture beyond the world of cava, Penedès offers numerous other wines to try.
Visit the winery Finca Mas Perdut in the subregion of Baix Penedès for an authentic experience in nature. Finca Mas Perdut is a fifth-generation family-owned winery committed to producing organic, natural wines.
During the visit, walk through their beautiful property before tasting a variety of sparkling, white, and red wines. Book the Brunch Among the Vines tour for a generous and delicious spread of local cheeses, meats, produce, and Finca Mas Perdut’s own vinegar and olive oil.
Brunch Among the Vines, Finca Mas Perdut
A taste of Penedès paired with an excellent view is found at Albet i Noya winery. Their red wines are particularly good. Enjoy a glass or a tasting on their terrace overlooking gently rolling vineyards.
Albet i Noya winery
Albet i Noya also offers a selection of Spanish tapas. During your visit, order the coca subirats, bread slices toasted with brie, Spanish sobrasada sausage, and local honey. Muy bueno!
Coca subirats tapa, Albet i Noya winery
For a unique terrain in Penedès, travel to Cuscó Berga in the Garraf subregion. At Cuscó Berga, enjoy a wine tasting while looking out at the majestic Parc del Garraf mountain range.
You can visit a limestone cave here to appreciate the unique soil in which the grapes from this region are grown. Cuscó Berga produces long-aged cava as well as interesting white and red wines.
Parc de Garraf, Cuscó Berga
Where to Eat
Butifarra, Restaurant Cal Ton Vell
To fully submerge in the culture of Penedès, book a table at one of the many traditional Spanish restaurants of the region. For lunch, the most authentic option is a prix fixe menu called the menú del día (menu of the day), which includes an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert.
Restaurant Cal Ton Vell is a traditional brasserie that offers an excellent menú del día, freshly baked goods, and highly regarded house wine.
Other traditional brasseries in Penedès with lovely vineyard views and excellent cuisine include Restaurant El Celler and Restaurant Cal Cassoles.
Restaurant Cal Cassoles, Alt Penedés
For freshly baked goods, visit Cal Forner. Their chocolate chip bread and red velvet cupcakes are irresistible. You can also buy local wine and desserts here.
Cal Forner, Alt Penedès
Tapas are traditional in Spain for dinner and some of the best can be found in Vilafranca del Penedès at Barchelona Tapas Bar. The decor in Barchelona is strange and eclectic, and the tapas are delicious. Try the patatas bravas and the burrito made with Iberian ham.
Patatas bravas & burrito, Barchelona Tapas Bar
Vilafranca del Penedès
Palau Balta (left) & Basilica de Santa Maria, Vilafranca del Penedès
Take time to explore the region’s capital, Vilafranca del Penedès.
While exploring the historic city center, walk through the Plaça de Jaume I to view the town’s beautiful cathedral, the Basilica de Santa Maria.
Next to the cathedral is the Palau Balta, a Gothic palace.
A short walk from the Plaça de Jaume I is the Ajuntament de Vilafranca del Penedès (city hall) and the smaller but very pretty church, Capella de Sant Joan.
Ajuntament de Vilafranca del Penedès
Vinseum
Ancient grape presses, Vinseum
For a deep dive into the history of the wines of this region, visit the Vinseum in Vilafranca del Penedès. This impressive museum is a fantastic value at €10 per person, and includes entry to the museum and a wine tasting.
At the Vinseum, you have access to 5 floors of impressive displays, artifacts, and art that explore the history of wine production in Catalonia. From inside, you are also greeted by lovely views outward of the Basilica de Santa Maria and the Palau Balta.
The Vinseum is truly a must-visit for wine lovers and history lovers alike.
Girls in the vineyard, Vinseum
Go explore Penedès for yourself!
Looking for other places to see nearby? Read about the Roman city of Tarragona here!
Salud!
Published: September 11, 2025 Updated: November 21, 2025
