Codorniu Winery
The birthplace of Cava
This is where is all began – Cava production that is – back in the 19th Century. Josep Raventos Fatjo of the Codorniu estate came back from a fact-finding jaunt around France and, copying the production methods of French Champagne, came up with his own brand of sparkling wine.
He ordered a cave (or cava in Catalan) be dug to store the stuff, and hey presto history was made. Cava was an instant success and it wasn’t long before Spanish royalty were ordering express deliveries to their manifold tables.
The Codorniu Winery remains one of Spain’s two major Cava producers, but as well as buying up their rather tasty bottles, it is also possible to visit their vineyards on a guided tour. The Codorniu guide will lead you through the winery’s vast underground cellars, the beautiful gardens and the stunning Art Nouveau buildings designed by one of Barcelona’s greatest architects, Puig y Cadafalch.
You can book a tour of the premises via their website, or, if you have a bit more time, it’s a great idea to combine a a visit to the winery with a visit to the wonderful Montserrat mountain and its sacred abbey: in which case Get Your Guide offer this highly rated tour.
Aside from seeing Barcelona’s number one day trip, the advantage of taking a Montserrat & Codorniu combined tour is all your transport from Barcelona is taken care of, and you have a guide with you for the whole day.
Meanwhile, for more wine tasting activities click here.
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