Segura Viudas -  Penedes, Spain

Region

El Penedès

denominación de origin

D.O. Penedès has its origins from the beginning of the sixth century when Phoenician ships laden with amphorae landed on the Catalonian coasts. It wasn’t until two centuries later that they started to plan and cultivate vineyards. Since then Penedès has been a region of production and development of grapes and was recognized as a D.O. in 1960.

D.O. Penedès is on of the most important centers of Mediterranean wine culture. The Penedès region is a crossroad, connecting the vineyards of eastern Spain, around Tarragona and in Andalusia, where small and medium-sized vineyard lots are prominent. Vineyard owners maintain the majority of the wineries in Penedès and take extreme care in the maintenance of their vineyards and the production and maturing of their wines.

The Area

D.O. Penedès is situated between the coastal hills and the narrow plains of the Mediterranean coast, right in the heart of the central depression where the vines are grown. D.O. Penedès is separated into three distinct areas: the Upper Penedès, the Central Penedès and the Lower Penedès.

The Climate

The influence of the Mediterranean Sea and the sun makes the Penedès region an area with a mild, warm climate that is idea for the growing vineyards.

The Grapes

Whites: Varieties such as Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada.
Reds: Varieties such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, Carinena, Monsastrell and Cabernet Sauvignon

The Soil

The soil characteristics of this region consist primarily of limestone, clay and sandy soil.

The Wines

While the unmistakable qualities of white and rosé Penedès wines are recognized by the world over, it is the heritage of the red wines from Penedès that capture the most attention. The distinctive reds offer fresh and unexpected sensations (from fruit to coffee, from cedar to roses, from velvet to the structure of a feudal wine) and stand out as virgin fruit in Spanish winegrowing, with its sometimes overemphasis on very dry and woody wines.