D.O. Conca De Barbera

Wine tourism in D.O. Conca de Barberà

The Conca de Barberà is a Catalan comarca located in the north of the province of Tarragona. The wine-growing production area is basically concentrated in the region that owes its geological formation to the erosive action of the Francolí river and its tributary, the Anguera.

A unique area for unique wines and cavas

The evolution of viticulture in the Conca de Barberà has been closely linked to the historical evolution of the comarca. Its most remote antecedents go back to Roman times and, possibly, even earlier. But it was not until the late Middle Ages that the cultivation of the vine would play a very important role, when two institutions, the order of the Cistercian monks of the abbey of Santa María de Poblet and the order of the warrior-monks of the Templars established in Barberà, transmitted to the farmers their knowledge and experience about the most profitable and appropriate way to cultivate the vine to extract the best wines.

The land and the climate

The Conca de Barberà is an area of great wine-growing tradition, thanks to its Mediterranean microclimate. The wines made there are characterised above all by the freshness of their flavour, their lightness and their expressive aroma.

Areas

The soils are, for the most part, calcareous in nature and poor in organic matter content. They can be clayey, with a characteristic reddish colour, or of a lighter texture and brownish colouring. At the bottom of the basin there are fluvial terraces. In the southwest end of the comarca and on the slopes of the Prades mountains, slate soils are also present.

Microclimates

In general, one can speak of a Mediterranean climate of transition between the mildness of the coastal comarcas of Tarragona, given the relative proximity to the sea, and the continentality typical of the Lleida comarcas. The modest altitude of the Miramar range and the La Riba gorge allow a certain influence of the humid and mild winds from the coast, but on the other hand, the marked winter thermal inversions accentuate the frosts in the low-lying areas. Nevertheless, the combined action of the relief and the altitude contribute to the appearance of microclimates with notable particularities.

VarietiesWhitesRecommended varieties: Macabeu, Chardonnay, Garnatxa blanca, Chenin, Small-berry Muscat, Parellada, Sauvignon blanc.Authorised varieties: Moscatell d’Alexandria.RedsRecommended varieties: Trepat, Samsó, Garnacha tinta, Monastrell, Ull de llebre or Tempranillo, Cabernet franc, Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot noir, Syrah.

Trepat territory

The Trepat is the native variety of the Conca de Barberà. It can also be found in the area of the Ríu Corb, the Baixa Segarra and also a small proportion in the Conca de Tremp.

When the Trepat is made as a rosé, a remarkable wine is obtained, light, fresh and fruity, of a raspberry pink colour, clean and luminous. In the production of reds, a fresh and light wine is obtained with a colour between cherry and ruby and a violet edge. On the palate, notes of red fruits and liquorice stand out, fused by a spicy touch of pepper and bay leaf. The colour, the aroma and the palate make them unique.

Experiences to enjoy in D.O. Conca de Barberà

Discover this wine-growing region located in the north of the province of Tarragona.