PDO Empordà
Website: www.doemporda.cat
History
There is no doubt that the wine culture and the knowledge of the wine trade reached Catalonia around the 6th century BC. The area was then the most important Greek colony in Spain, and Emporiae was the Greek city that later gave its name to the district of Empordà. Four centuries later, archaeological and documental evidence exists to demonstrate that the wines of the lands of Emporiae and other areas of the Tarraconensis were known in the domestic markets of other provinces of the Roman Empire and in the metropolis itself.
In the Middle Ages, when vines were grown near abbeys and monasteries, the terraced vineyards cultivated by the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes covered the slopes of the Rodes Mountain range. It is here that the winemaking monk Ramon Pere de Noves is believed to have excelled in the art of winemaking and have written a treatise on the subject. There is also evidence to show that the Monasteries of Sant Quirze de Colera and Santa Maria de Vilabertran also owned vineyards in Empordà.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the vines demonstrated their colonising capacity and became a symbol for the agricultural growth that fuelled significant demographic growth in the production area. A unique landscape of cypress trees with dry stone terraces, walls and cottages was shaped. The phylloxera plague first appeared in Catalonia in 1879, in a vineyard in Rabós d’Empordà. It brought a ruinous end to this thriving era for Empordà wines. The recovery was tough. The vineyards never recovered all the land they had occupied prior to the plague.
The cooperative bodega movement was initially promoted by the Mancomunitat of Catalonia, and later by the Republican Generalitat around 1930. This was the start of a new era of improved winemaking processes; new bodegas were built and sales networks were extended. In addition to these developments, private initiatives were underway and the result was that the quality of wine of Empordà gained fame and popularity in many markets.
Description:
Empordà is a landscape of contrasts, situated in the far north east of Catalonia. The Pyrenees, to the north, and the Mediterranean Sea, to the south, form natural boundaries. The breathtaking Costa Brava setting makes Empordà a truly unique place, linking the coast to the mountains, influenced by the famous northerly Tramontane wind.
Empordà is a landscape of great natural beauty, with several natural protected areas and an awe-inspiring coastline of beaches and coves. It also boasts a great cultural and historical heritage: menhirs, megaliths, Gothic architecture, Romanesque art, charming small villages, the surrealist art of the genius Salvador Dali… all making the area highly attractive, even more so if the people and fine gastronomy are also considered, especially the Empordà traditional dishes and the nouvelle cuisine, headed by figures such as Ferran Adrià. All of which are complemented beautifully by Empordà DO (Designation of Origin) wines.
The production area of the Empordà DO, located in the far north east of Catalonia, encapsulates 48 municipalities spread across two districts. Empordà has two geographically distinct areas: Alt Empordà with 35 municipalities and Baix Empordà with 20.
The production area of Alt Empordà is in the far north east of Catalonia (stretching northwards from the city of Figueres to the French border). It is protected by the slopes of the Sierra de Rodes and the Las Alberas Mountain Ranges, starting in Cap de Creus and spreading in an arch-like form to Garrotxa d’Empordà (Albanyà).
Alt Empordà borders the Pyrenees in the north, the Mediterranean in the east and flat plains to the south.
Alt Empordà municipalities are: Agullana, Avinyonet de Puigventós, Biure, Boadella i les Escaules, Cabanes, Cadaqués, Cantallops, Capmany, Cistella, Colera, Darnius, Espolla, Figueres, Garriguella, La Jonquera, Llançà, Llers, Masarac, Mollet de Peralada, Palau-saverdera, Pau, Pedret i Marzà, Peralada, Pont de Molins, Portbou, Port de la Selva, Rabós, Roses, Sant Climent Sescebes, Selva de Mar, Terrades, Vilafant, Vilajuïga, Vilamaniscle and Vilanant.
The Baix Empordà production area borders the Montgrí Massif in the north, the Gavarres Massif in the southwest — that forms a coastal plane with the Begur Massif — and with the Mediterranean to the east.
The municipalities in Baix Empordà are: Begur, Calonge, Castell-Platja d’Aro, Forallac, Mont-ras, Palafrugell, Palamós, Palau-sator, Pals, Regencós, Torrent, Torroella de Montgrí and Vall-llobrega.
The Tramontane, the strong northerly wind, with gusts that frequently exceed 120 km/h, is the most characteristic aspect of the climate affecting cultivation in the area and is highly beneficial for vine health.
On the other hand, the winters are mild with few frosts and the summers are hot and tempered by sea breezes. The average annual temperature is between 14 and 16º C. Rainfall is around 600 litres per year. With regards temperature and sunshine making it well-suited for medium and long growing season varieties and perfect for producing naturally sweet wines.
Overall, the climate is ideal for growing vines to produce quality wines that do not have the harshness of southern wines.
NUMBER OF WINERIES: 50
SURFACE AREA (acres): 2000
PRODUCTION VOLUME: 60.000 Hl (depèn de l’any)
MAIN VARIETY (TOP3): Grenache and Carignan in its 3 colors: white, red and black
TERRITORY (TYPE OF SOIL, LANDSCAPE):
The Empordà DO has very heterogeneous land, the majority of which has a sandy texture and low organic material content. This is ideal for high quality winemaking. The soils are largely acidic, and the area varies in height from sea level to an altitude of 260 m.
It is important to bear in mind that in the Empordà plain the alluvial soils are predominant, whereas in the mountainous and mountainside areas the soils are slatey and granitic, with landscapes of outstanding natural beauty.