The Garden of Penedès

The heart of Penedès, a land with a long wine making tradition, is my next destination. Its vineyard is nestled between Montserrat and the Mediterranean Sea, a landscape marked by gentle undulations of the land and large flatlands, reflecting the waves of the sea that gives it character. In Sant Sadurní d’Anoia I visit the Cava Interpretation Centre, where I discover the history, protagonists, and architecture of this iconic drink through the different rooms. The sprawling Penedès vineyard must have garden fairies, I note in my travel diary after spending part of the afternoon visiting some of the sights of the Miravinya Route, five vantage points with magnificent views over a vine-covered landscape of the Alt Penedès dotted with dry stone walls and huts. I end the day with a vertical tasting in one of Penedès’ legendary wineries, where I learn to appreciate the subtle differences that the passage of time imparts to wine.