Penedès
The home of Cava
- Soil
- Limestone and clay across terraces inland from Barcelona.
- Style
- Traditional-method sparkling Cava; also still Penedès whites & reds.
- Top sites
- Sant Sadurní d'Anoia is Cava's hub; top tier 'Cava de Paraje Calificado'.
- Vintages
- 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
- Producers
- GramonaRaventós i Blanc (now 'Conca del Riu Anoia')
Tip · Cava uses the same bottle-fermented method as Champagne, but from native Macabeo, Xarel·lo and Parellada — and most is made around Sant Sadurní, not a single appellation place.
Value pick
Recaredo 'Terrers' Brut Nature Gran Reserva · ~$35
Biodynamic, long-aged, bottle-fermented Cava that rivals far pricier Champagne.
Collector pick
Recaredo 'Turó d'en Mota' Brut Nature · ~$120 · 2010
A single-vineyard, decade-aged Cava that rivals grower Champagne — Spain's top traditional sparkling.