ARTCAVA (Penedés)

Winelovers who visit Barcelona have limited options when it comes to heading out to the vineyards. You either hook up with one of the myriad tour operators promising overpriced and overcrowded winery visits or you join the masses at Torres or Freixenet, two giant wine producers that churn out tours like hens in a factory farm.

Now I’ll admit that I did love the train ride through the massive cellars at Freixenet. These types of experiences do provide a basic introduction to Catalan wine for those happy just to dip their toe in the barrel. In short, they have their place in the wine tourism pecking order.

But you can do better.

How about visiting a boutique Cava winery set in a 1000 year old house with spectacular views of the surrounding Penedés wine region? With welcoming owners who insist on attending to each and every visitor personally?

Did I mention they even let you create your own bottle of Cava?

Run by three friends, Ramon, Ignasi and Èric, Artcava has a uniquely dynamic and innovative approach to wine tourism. Rather than merely talking through how Cava is made, visitors are invited to put the finishing touches to their very own bottle of Cava.

After selecting their favourite Cava during a lively guided tasting, visitors disgorge or remove the yeast from their bottle, insert the cork and label their wine. Once all the hard work is over, the bottle is yours to take home with you and you can relax in the shady courtyard with a typical Catalan farmhouse lunch courtesy of chef Ramon.

For those living in the area, Artcava offers the opportunity to play winemaker. The process begins in the winter with a blending workshop to choose the quantities of each grape variety which will make up your blend and concludes with the disgorging the following December. You’ll spend plenty of time hanging out with winemaker Èric and learn firsthand the skill and creativity required to make a good Cava.

#Penedés