The making cava, or Spanish sparkling wine, is a fascinating process that involves years of cultivation, months of fermentation and hundreds of hours of man power in order to produce this delicate product. We recently visited Sant Sadurni d’Anoia – a small town in the Penedès region of Catalonia known for being the epicenter of cava production.
Located just a short drive from Barcelona, Sant Sadurni d’Anoia is a charming town with excellent bodegas and fantastic restaurants. On our cava wine tour, we stopped at CodornÃu, Colomer and Freixenet. While each has a distinct product, all are equally delicious.
Watch the episode about our cava wine tour below.
CodornÃu, which is the oldest of the three, is the oldest family business in Spain.
The bodega is situated on a sprawling lush property and features beautiful modernist buildings that reflect the family’s entrepreneurial spirit. A tour of the old bodega reveals giant wooden barrels and antique machinery.
Colomer is a family-owned business that has been around since 1943.
Choosing quality over quantity, its mission has always been to cater to the local community. Colomer’s award-winning cavas are crisp and rival those produced by any of the larger bodegas in the area. When you’re there, you’re treated like family.
La Cava d’en Sergi is undoubtedly the best lunch spot in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia. Known as the best restaurant in town, Chef Sergi Torres takes diners on a culinary ride through his vision of Catalan fusion food. The service is excellent, the venue is bright and airy, and the menu changes with the seasons. It’s a must!
Next stop on our cava wine tour is Freixenet, the label that put cava on the map for Americans and Eastern Europeans.
Freixenet sells over 100 million bottles a year, with sales peaking during the Christmas season. Their underground network of tunnels is both extensive and impressive – something I have never seen! You’ll need to take a small train to get from one end to another. Freixenet is undoubtedly the world’s most popular cava brand and one of the best tours I’ve had the pleasure of taking.
So if you grow tired of bustling Barcelona, make the short drive or take the train to Sant Sadurni d’Anoia for the ultimate cava wine tour experience. You’ll leave with a greater knowledge and deeper respect about the cava-making process and what it means for the culture of the region. And don’t forget to tell them that David Hoffmann of Davidsbeenhere sent you! ¡Salud!
Have you ever been on a cava wine tour? Do you have a favorite cava? Tell us about it. Leave us a comment below!
Special thanks to Sixt Rent a Car.
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