Cava's home, Xarel-lo's homeland, and the splinter that became Corpinnat
The Cava heartland of Catalonia between Barcelona and Tarragona, where 95 percent of Spain's traditional-method sparkling wine is made at Sant Sadurni d'Anoia while estate Cabernet, Xarel-lo and biodynamic Corpinnat are reshaping Penedes still-wine reputation.
Every vineyard, tasting room, wine bar and cellar we cover in Penedes, pinned. Click a pin for the page.
The iconic bottles that define Penedes.
Producer: recaredo
The single-vineyard Xarel-lo Corpinnat that proved indigenous-grape Penedes sparkling could age for decades; first vintage 1999, released 2008 from a 1940 planting.
Price: EUR 110 to 180 at retail
Producer: gramona
Gramona's prestige long-ageing cuvee, cellared more than 15 years before manual disgorgement, a Corpinnat benchmark for ageworthy Penedes sparkling.
Price: EUR 130 to 220 at retail
Producer: juve-y-camps
One of the first nine Cava de Paraje Calificado wines approved in 2017; the single-vineyard 1972-planted Xarel-lo flagship cuvee of Juve y Camps in Sant Sadurni.
Price: EUR 90 to 140 at retail
Producer: codorniu
Codorniu's single-vineyard Chardonnay Cava de Paraje, one of the first nine sites approved in 2017 and the flagship of the Ars Collecta range.
Price: EUR 55 to 80 at retail
Producer: freixenet
Freixenet's long-lees library wine from the Mediona estate where the Ferrer family has farmed since the 13th century; Cava de Paraje Calificado since 2017.
Price: EUR 65 to 95 at retail
Producer: llopart
Llopart's prestige long-aged Brut Nature, the top of the house hierarchy above Original 1887 in cellar time and showcase of Penedes Superior altitude fruit.
Price: EUR 50 to 80 at retail
A handful of the estates we send friends to when they are in Penedes.
Founded in 1551 by the Codorniu family in Sant Sadurni d'Anoia. The 1872 first traditional-method Spanish sparkling vintage is credited to Josep Raventos i Fatjo. The architectural complex by Puig i Cadafalch was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument in 1976 and receives roughly 100,000 visitors per year. Codorniu holds three of the Cava de Paraje Calificado approved sites: Finca el Tros Nou, Finca la Pleta and Finca la Fideuera.
Signature: anna-de-codorniu, reina-maria-cristina, ars-collecta-finca-el-tros-nou, ars-collecta-finca-la-pleta, ars-collecta-finca-la-fideuera
Founded in 1861 by Pedro Ferrer Bosch (the Ferrer family had been making wine at the Freixenet estate in Mediona since the 13th century). The current cellars in Sant Sadurni were built between 1920 and 1929 and inscribed in the BCIN heritage register. Cordon Negro launched in 1974 in the black frosted bottle that became the global Cava reference. The Casa Sala paraje is part of the Cava de Paraje Calificado category.
Signature: freixenet-cordon-negro, freixenet-carta-nevada, freixenet-elyssia-pinot-noir, freixenet-elyssia-gran-cuvee, casa-sala
Founded in 1921 by Joan Juve Baques and Teresa Camps Farre, now in its fourth family generation. Juve y Camps is the producer behind La Capella, the single-vineyard 100 percent Xarel-lo Cava de Paraje Calificado from a 7-hectare plot planted in 1972 on calcareous soils, aged 108 months on lees. In April 2026 the estate left DO Cava to become the 22nd Corpinnat member and the brand's largest producer, adding over 2.5 million bottles to the collective.
Signature: juve-y-camps-reserva-de-la-familia, juve-y-camps-gran-juve, juve-y-camps-la-capella, juve-y-camps-milesime-chardonnay
Founded in 1924 by Josep Mata Capellades in the centre of Sant Sadurni d'Anoia. All 50 hectares Demeter-certified biodynamic since 2006, making Recaredo the first DO Cava and DO Penedes winery to obtain Demeter certification. All wines are Brut Nature (zero dosage) and hand-disgorged. Founding member of Corpinnat in 2019; Turo d'en Mota is a single-vineyard 100 percent Xarel-lo aged minimum 150 months on lees.
Signature: recaredo-brut-nature-reserva-particular, recaredo-turo-d-en-mota, recaredo-serral-del-vell, recaredo-intens-rosat, recaredo-subtil
Founded in 1881 by Pau Batlle. The current Gramona generation (5th) obtained Demeter certification for both viticulture and winemaking in 2014, an unusual double certification. The 72-hectare estate is farmed organically and biodynamically; through the Alianzas por la Terra growers' alliance the family sources from a further 303 hectares of certified-organic land. Founding Corpinnat member (2019). Enoteca is a single-disgorgement library release that demonstrates Cava's long-ageing potential.
Signature: gramona-imperial-gran-reserva, gramona-celler-battle, gramona-enoteca-brut-nature, gramona-iii-lustros, gramona-font-de-jui
Founded in 1887 when the Llopart family adopted Champagne traditional-method sparkling-wine production. The 95-hectare Heretat Can Llopart de Subirats estate is farmed organically. Founding Corpinnat member (2019). Original 1887 is the long-aged tribute cuvee blending the historic trio Xarel-lo, Macabeu and Montonega (an indigenous heritage white) with 9 years on lees.
Signature: llopart-original-1887, llopart-microcosmos-rose, llopart-leopardi-brut-nature, llopart-ex-vite, llopart-imperial
Cellar-tour heartland where Codorniu and Freixenet sit alongside the boutique Corpinnat splinter group; trains from Barcelona deposit visitors at Freixenet's doorstep.
Modernist warehouse cellars and the Vinseum anchor the still-wine side of Penedes; Mas La Plana's Cabernet vines sit a five-minute drive west.
Castle ruins above tiered Xarel-lo plots and the Corpinnat splinter group's natural home; Sant Pau d'Ordal is the spiritual centre of Penedes organic farming.
Pacs is essentially Torres country; the family's tasting room and Mas La Plana vineyard define the village.
Limestone-escarpment terroir for indigenous-grape obsessives, with the Garraf massif rising behind the cellars.
Cabernet pioneer terroir at Jean Leon, paired with old-stone Pardas and the 11th-century Segura Viudas castle cellars.
Peak wine-travel season in Penedes is spring through autumn, with harvest the standout window.
classified-growth and grand-cru estates require booking days to weeks ahead; smaller family domaines often take walk-ins midweek.
most estates open 10:00 to 17:00 by appointment, often closed Sunday and Monday.
tipping is not expected at tastings; buying a bottle from the cellar door is the customary thank-you.
If you only open one bottle, open Recaredo Turo d'en Mota Brut Nature by recaredo. It is the wine most associated with Penedes.