Cheese tastings, cave tours, markets and cheese routes in Penedes.
A guide to cheese experiences in Penedes.
A tour of the ageing workshop, a former wine storehouse of the 19th century with ceramic vats, then a meal of 20 cheeses with 5 wines at one of five tables. Weekends, usually at 13:00 or 20:00, in Catalan, up to 36 people; a non-alcoholic option is offered.
A Thursday after-work tasting of 4 wines with 12 Xerigots cheeses at the workshop, led in Catalan. Tasting only, with no visit to the ageing room.
Visits and cheese workshops at a small raw-milk dairy in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Monday to Friday by prior reservation, according to its own site. ACREFA adds tastings and direct sale of its sheep's and cow's milk cheeses.
Guided visit to the vineyard and cellar of a biodynamic estate at Can Llopart de les Alzines, then a commented pairing of five Catalan cheeses with its wines and Cavas, set up as a contrast pairing and a complementary one. Its own page lists Blanc de Sora, Puigpedrós, Lligat de cabra, Serrat and Blau ceretà. Monday to Saturday by prior booking, minimum two people; wheelchair accessible.
Guided winery visit with a pairing of 4 wines and 4 artisan cheeses. Saturdays in Catalan, Sundays and holidays in Spanish, both at 11:15. Ages 7 to 17 pay EUR 22 and get cheeses and grape juice; under 7 free, with grape juice.
Guided visit with an audiovisual presentation, the Mas La Plana vineyard, a solar-electric train to the Waltraud cellar, ending with four wines each matched to an artisan cheese. Year round on weekends: Saturdays at 12:30 in Spanish, Sundays at 11:45 in Catalan.
A visit to the Freixenet cellars in Sant Sadurní with an introduction to tasting, then four Cavas matched with cheeses typical of different geographical areas. Offered in Catalan, Spanish, English, German and French; prior booking is essential.
Enjoy an exclusive day out to a two local wineries in Penedès Region and taste 4 excellent wines and 3 excellent wines and 4 glasses of cava perfectly paired with loca...
Enjoy a private day trip from Barcelona to Montserrat and Codorníu Cava Cellars, combining mountain heritage with Catalonia’s iconic sparkling wine tradition. Be picke...
Penedés region is one of the most important wine and cava regions in Catalonia. Penedés land is between the sea and the mountains, and this influence of the sun and t...
A small cylinder with rounded edges under a grey to blue-grey, fuzzy mould rind, with an off-white paste. The PGI specification sets two sizes: about 0.5 kg and 10.5 cm across, or about 1 kg and 14.5 cm across. ACREFA calls the grey bloomy rind the indispensable feature of any Garrotxa.
Yes. Formatge Garrotxa / Queso Garrotxa has been an EU Protected Geographical Indication since 20 December 2023 (file PGI-ES-02876), and the protected area is the whole of Catalonia. The application was lodged on 14 November 2022.
Cheesemakers across Catalonia; the specification says cheesemakers trained in the 1980s spread it to dairies all over the region. None of the venues in this guide is confirmed as a Garrotxa maker, so none is linked.
A fresh Catalan cheese made with unsalted heat-treated whole milk and eaten within days. Catalan Wikipedia says it is white to yellowish white, granular or gelled, and milky in taste.
ACREFA presents it as ordinary mató with a local story: farmers of Monistrol, Sant Cristòfol de Castellbell and Marganell were allowed to sell at the Montserrat abbey, and pilgrims spread the fame of their mató.
ACREFA says it is eaten as a dessert, often with honey, sugar, jam, sweet fruit or nuts, or with a sweet liqueur. Catalan Wikipedia calls honey and mató one of the emblematic Catalan desserts.
Not yet. Catalan Wikipedia says the Catalan agriculture department is promoting a PGI for mató.
ACREFA says the word points both to the mountain ridges (serrats) where it was made and to a pressed, compact cheese. It cites the saying that cheese should be serrat and bread ullat, meaning closed and full of holes.