Cataluña (Catalunya)

This wine-growing region has been an independent DO since 2001, it was previously part of the DO Penedès and lies in the Catalunya reion in Spain. The independent status came about as a result of lobbying work by Miguel A. Torres (see there), the total vineyard area is 3.600 hectares. There are two separate zones in the region. Thie first zone is a triangle formed by Tarragona in the south, Barcelona in the north-east and Lleida in the northwest, the second zone is located to the north of Girona, directly on the border with France, at the foot of the Pyrenees. The white grape varieties planted are Chardonnay, Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-Lo, the red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo).