The wines of the Designation of Origin Emporda They gain a greater prominence year after year. Thus, for example, in 2022 its wineries received almost a 70% more visits than the previous year. Just over 80,000 visitors. But beyond the wine tourismthe other relevant symptom of the interest that they are arousing the wines of the land of the Tramuntana is, without a doubt, the space gained in the Barcelona restaurants.
According to a study of DO Empordà Regulatory Councilhe 40% of high-end restaurants in Barcelona have Empordà wines in your letter. And, as a whole, adding the high-end ones to the rest, they already represent 20%. Some very positive data that reflect the improvement of positioning and penetration that these wines are having.
And all this is not by chance. The wines of the DO Emporda they have one unique personality marked by vineyards forged by the Tramuntana, the sea and the mountains and also have autochthonous varieties such as Garnachas and Cariñenas, known in the area as ‘lledoner’ and ‘caranyena’, respectively.
Endemic varieties of the DO Empordà
The two varieties mentioned currently represent 65% of all the vineyards of the Denomination of Origin. A percentage that has not stopped growing due to the firm commitment of Empordà winegrowers to them. To all this we must also add the emergence of new monovarietal wines with grapes from the same estate. Some proposals that are born from a new generation of oenologists and viticulturists with greater education and training who seek uniqueness in each of their wines. A reflection of the earth where they are forged.
The Garnachas – red, white and red – represent a third of the Empordà vineyard. In the case of the cariñenas, they represent the 22% of the total. In this case, white and red varieties proliferate in the area. And as data: the Empordà can boast of being one of the areas that produces all the varieties.
Centenary vineyards of the Empordà
The older a vineyard is, the better wines it produces. A third of the vineyards covered by the Empordà Designation of Origin are over 30 years old and 3% are over 100. In the case of the Garnachas, in its red variety, 61.4% are over 30 and 14.9% over 80. In the case of the black Cariñenas, the majority are over 30. It is representative that the 60% were planted more than 60 years ago and 26% more than 80 years ago.
But in antiquity, without a doubt, the white carignan stands out. 86.7% of the vines are over 30 years old and 26.5% over 80. This shows the long tradition of this variety in the Empordà and the experience of its growers in handling it. According to him DO Empordà Regulatory Councila 20% of the wineries have this variety in their vineyards.
To continue promoting the development of white Cariñena, a badge will be created that will identify the monovarietal wines made with it. A proposal that aims to give more prestige to this type of wine made with the typical varieties of the Empordà.
Do you like wine and are you a fan of wine tourism? Taste the Empordà wines!