Wine lovers everywhere will surely already have visited DO Conca de Barberá, a province of Catalonia, many times before or, if not, will definitely have the province on their bucket list for the best places to go to try Catalan wine. Tradition, their love for grapes and unique way of making the wine has turned DO Conca de Barberá into a reference point for the best wineries in the world. We, at Lu&Bo Hotels, have the privilege of offering a luxury hotel precisely in the heart of this region near the Monastery of Poblet.
If you have already heard of trepat, it goes to show that you are already very familiar with Spanish wine, particularly, that from Catalonia. Trepat is the native grape that is produced in the north of Tarragona. The origin of its name, (of both its wine and cava) comes from the region of Conca de Barberá, where the vines are cultivated in the depression of River Francolí, forming part of the depression of Ebro, and it’s one of the biggest names in Spanish wine industry.
Its terrains are calcareous, something that, later on, many experts appreciate in their wines as they become light, of little graduation, and are a very soft color, giving off a fruity aroma. Their vines are delicate and are carefully handled by expert hands and, each year, they grow between 8,000 and 12,000 kilos of grapes per hectare. Of course, here we’re only talking about trepat and aren’t mentioning other grape varieties that are used in this Catalan region which form some of the most selective wines in Catalonia, for example Macabeo and Parellada, etc.
Trepat is a type of grape that grows in large bunches, with juicy fruits that are rounded with a strong skin of medium-sized thickness. The harvest season in la Conca is much later than other grapes, normally continuing well into October.
Autumn is the perfect time for visiting this zone if you're a wine lover and want to learn more about what goes into the production of this wine. However, the best season for visiting Conca de Barberá, without a doubt, is spring. At this time of the year, you’ll be able to appreciate the spectacular valley, enveloped in luscious greenery where you’ll be carried away by the gorgeous sea smell of the Costa Brava beaches with the opportunity to try the most recent wines of the terrains.
Combining rosé, reds, whites and cava on multiple wine tours on offer in Conca de Barberá is something we highly recommend at Lu&Bo Hotels, at our boutique hotel in Vimbodí, Castell de Riudabella, which is only a short distance away from the most antique wine cellars, the Monastery of Poblet and one of the well-known tourist spots in the area.
A visit to any of the wineries in Conca de Barberá is a guaranteed unique experience as all are a surprise for the eyes with gothic and modern Catalan art; truly the epitome of wineries. These peculiar wineries found here, were constructed by two architectural geniuses: Cesar Martinell and Pere Domenech, although ongoing work was carried out by many other architects, always with the support of the farmers of the region
To organise a tour to visit them all, all you have to do is choose an itinerary that suits you best on the official website of DO Concha de Barberà.