DO area on the Mediterranean coast in the region of Catalonia in north-east Spain. It is divided into three zones ascending from the coast. The warmest zone is Bajo-Penedès (also Baix-Penedès) in the low-lying coastal area with an altitude of up to 250 metres above sea level. The second zone, Mitja-Penedès (also known as Medio-Penedès), lies up to 500 metres above sea level to the west of Barcelona and is the most important for sparkling wines and excellent white wines. The third zone, Alta-Penedès (also known as Alt-Penedès), is the highest area at up to 850 metres above sea level.
Before the phylloxera catastrophe that began in 1876, over 80% of the red wine varieties planted in Penedès were mainly mass-produced. From the beginning of the 1960s, the region began to rise and is considered the cradle of modern Spanish viticulture. Penedès is the home of the Spanish sparkling wine Cava, which accounts for around two thirds of total Spanish production. However, the DO designation Penedès only applies to still wines. The picture shows a vineyard with Ull de Llebre = Tempranillo:
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Hans-Georg Schwarz
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