Spain's Best Kept Secrets Box | Discover Penedes

Although a Spanish wine, the grapes are predominantly classic French, with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon making up most of the blend. This wine is absolutely ...

Although a Spanish wine, the grapes are predominantly classic French, with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon making up most of the blend. This wine is absolutely divine: full bodied, rich, spicy and dry, with ripe red fruit and juicy black fruit. It also spends 13 months in oak giving it that smooth mouth feel with vanilla and coffee undertones. This style combines the irresistible flavours of Australian reds with the structure of Northern Europe. Penedes is located near Barcelona and historically has been a place for high quality Cava. In recent years there has been a surge in new generation winemakers creating wines or serious quality. Celler Pardas started in 1996 and has grown from strength to strength. Once you have tried this, you won't go back! Practicing organic, minimal intervention and vegan friendly.    

If you love Chardonnay and want to try something new, Pardas Pur Xarel·lo 2021 should be at the top of your list. This Spanish white wine features bright notes of gree...

If you love Chardonnay and want to try something new, Pardas Pur Xarel·lo 2021 should be at the top of your list. This Spanish white wine features bright notes of green apple, citrus peel, and white peach. It’s balanced by a flinty minerality and a refreshing salinity. Made from Xarel·lo, Penedès' flagship grape, it offers impressive texture and tension. Its structure is savoury, resembling Burgundian wines. It ferments in concrete tanks. This process adds precision, leading to a long, clean, and pleasantly dry finish. This is one of the best Xarel·lo wines for those who enjoy minerality and subtle strength. Organic Winemaking in Penedès Celler Pardas is a respected producer in Penedès, Spain. Since 1996, they have farmed organically and focus on native grapes like Xarel·lo and Sumoll. Their vineyards thrive in a valley with rich alluvial soils. The east-west winds cool the area. The soil, made of limestone and clay, is perfect for high-quality Xarel·lo. Most wines are fermented in cement tanks, enhancing purity and terroir. With a hands-on approach, Pardas Pur Xarel·lo shows how serious and age-worthy Spanish white wines can be. It’s a must-try Chardonnay alternative with character, complexity, and class.

This Sumoll presents a fascinating expression of a grape that breaks conventional rules, offering big, floral, and dark characteristics with a crunchy, rustic appeal r...

This Sumoll presents a fascinating expression of a grape that breaks conventional rules, offering big, floral, and dark characteristics with a crunchy, rustic appeal reminiscent of Nebbiolo or Morgon du Puy in style. The wine delivers searing acidity with gorgeous grippy tannins that make it an excellent food wine, showcasing how modern winemakers are elevating this historically underrated variety into something truly special. Pardas represents the innovative spirit of Penedès winemaking, championing indigenous varieties like Xarel·lo and Sumoll since 1996 when they transformed a disused winery in their river valley location. With 100,000 bottles produced annually, this family operation works intuitively rather than by textbook, believing that 80% of wine decisions are made during harvest. Their vineyards benefit from alluvial soils deposited by the river and cooling west-east winds, with 90% of their wines crafted in cement tanks to preserve the pure expression of their grapes. Pardas demonstrates that local varieties like Xarel·lo—the hero grape of Penedès—can produce exceptional wines when grown on the limestone and clay soils they favour, whilst also pioneering quality expressions of the historically high-yielding Sumoll grape.