Wine & Gastronomy in Spain

     Let's start with a basic, albeit well-founded boast. Since 2000, the labels of wines produced in the Priorat wine region in the south of Catalonia bear the magic abbreviation "DOQ" (DOC in Spanish), which is simply because it stands for the highest quality category of Spanish wines.  Apart from Priorat, only wines from certain Rioja vineyards are honored with this title. But we are talking about Spain, the country which is one of the three world leaders in wine exports (along with France and Italy), and by the total area of vineyards and even the first in the whole world. So here it is, the "exclusive" in the title of the article: Priorat wines: just for true connoisseurs of the divine nectar, aesthetes and, if you wish, gourmets of enological products for whom quality matters.  And the highest quality of Priorat wines is an acknowledged fact today The proof is the opinion of the most renowned expert and wine connoisseur Robert Parker, who in 2012 included ...

     A delightful full-day tour of three of the most fascinating designer wine houses in the Priorat wine district! Built by the architect of the same name, Seyer Mortinel, a disciple and follower and later rival of Antonio Gaudia. It was while working on the project of the Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona, that Antoni Gaudi and Seijer Mortinel went their separate ways.  Our tour will begin with the Coopérative Sayer Falset Marsa, which has a century-old history, founded in 1912, comprising more than 350 small wineries. The members of the cooperative are families of farmers who have lived in the Priorat for generations, and have worked these lands with love and care. They know their work thoroughly and every inch of the land.  The cooperative partners own these lands and work them themselves growing grapes.  They stand firm on this project, and know that a good result is to work the vineyards all year long, for the highest quality.  Next we will ...