Put a cork in it.

Easier said than done.

Winery visit number two in the Penedes region has restored my faith in the Spanish wine tourism industry.  I recently learned that wine tours are very uncommon  in these parts which raises the question, with a great product and high demand why is there so little interest in the process and people making vinos many are so fond of? When done right, as this tour was, learning the history and getting a glimpse of the effort that goes into a bottle of wine is what every Saturday morning cartoon yearns to be – fun AND educational. The product sells itself.

Though it’s grown to be an extremely large producer (putting out over 20 varieties of wine from the Penedes region) the Tetas family remains an intricate part of production vine to bottle. Mireia Tetas Jose gave us some history on her great grandfather, Jose Maria Tetas’s winery. Mireia’s comfort and knowledge showed that she’s from a family that’s been making wine for over 150 years.

Not once did I catch wind that she was selling me a product. When Mireia was finished I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a number of their wines. THAT’S an experience (see prior blog for tie in.) Personally the “environment loving, Colorado enthusiast, health nut” -or whatever label you’d like to throw my way- was very excited to try their organic wine. The 2005 Clos de Torribas bottle of Tempranillo also caused a twitch of excitement.  Just what I was hoping for genuine, informational, and inviting start to a tour.

I was taken through the Bodegas Pinord winery (that spreads over two blocks in Vilafranca) by one of their Oenologist’s. He was kind enough to give me the best possible explanation each step of the way in simple Catalan seeing that we shared no common language. It became apparent that winery tours are uncommon as I was greeted with puzzled glances when entering each room. Not to worry, I was assured hippopotamuses have fast trees. *Note to self learn Catalan.

Rows of French, American, and Hungarian barrels line cellar walls. Their Grand Reserve labels spend two years in the barrels and three in the bottle before they’re available for enjoyment. It’s not too early for a glass of wine at 10 am is it?

The vast size of all the production facilities are impressive to say the least. Rooms with over 15 steal containers each holding 85,000 liters of fermenting wine is something worth taking the time to appreciate.

The winery made it’s mark being the first to produce Pearl wine. Pearl wine is reminiscent of cava yet Mireia set pearl wine apart because it is sweeter, fruiter, younger, and less bubbly then cava.

The Bodega Pinord winery is nothing short of impressive. They make 20 some varieties of wine. The sheer scale of the production equipment is astounding. It’s a sight worth taking in. The employees are knowledgeable and welcoming. Overall it’s an enriching experience. Spain I implore you get out in your own backyard learn a bit about the great wine this region grows and produces. Those of you that happen to be in the Penedes region may I encourage to to take an hour of your day to stop by a winery, even if it’s not the praised Bodega Pinord.

Mi Cava es su cava?

I could tell you little more  about cava than it is a spanish sparkling wine very reminiscent of champagne. The few glasses of cava I’ve indulged in have gone down easily with a refreshing finish. Days after arriving in Spain I enthusiastically set out to a winery in the Penedes Region to learn why this particular region is so highly acclaimed for it’s cava and more importantly, what cava really is.

Upon pulling up to the winery that will go unnamed the manicured pebble parking lot lured me in with a modern spin on the classic style spanish fountain. Impressed with the tasting room’s sizable arched glass door entrances and what I can best describe as a city chic rustic interior, ascetically I was sold.

The tasting room was freezing,  this is as good as broken breaks on a downhill ride as far as an atmospheres first impression goes in my book. What next, no background music filling dead air?

We were greeted by the founder’s son in anticipation of a prearranged tour of the facilities. Drop in visitors killed the odds of a tour in English so “Frank”  (or so we will call him) left us behind. My colleague and I stood cold and alone in a silent room.

Upon his return Frank spent about ten minutes mechanically explaining his business plan. Goals of creating an “experience” by partnering with top notch local restaurants and hotels as part of exclusive tours for people interested in real wisdom about Cava.  Over the encounter he reiterated it is their knowledge, passion, and soul that sets his winery apart from all the others in the region.

Get to the point already, what is cava? How was the cava at this winery you won’t even name? Unfortunately, I too left with these questions.

For  a short amount of attention and a lot of hype about a quality and informational experience, I left uninformed and unimpressed with this cava  experience in the Penedes Region.