More Catalonia Wine and Food

Overview of Post, And What's Coming Next—

White Wines With Catalonia Grapes—

I have previously written other articles for Forbes about Catalonia, including Spain's Penedès Wine Region Is Ripe For Exploring, and about the Alimentaria Food Show in Barcelona. Also I wrote about the Calçotada food festival of Catalonia.

Catalonia includes wines from the Empordà appellation, which have been known as inspiration for great artists. Salvador Dalí was born in Figueres, within the DO. Pablo Picasso also lived (in 1910) in Cadaques, within the appellation. Contemporary artists within this wine appellation include Ramon Moscardó, Gustau Carbó Berthold, Ignacio Iturria, and Shigeyoshi Koya.

Catalonia also includes wines from the Penedés region, further south, which also touches the sea coast.

In the city of Tossa de Mar, just outside the fort, there is a stall where a man sells wine. The man's name is Carlos and he works with his wife and sons. His family vineyard, located 3 kilometers from Tossa de Mar, is about one hectare (2.5 acres) in size and the name of their wine label is Comtessa Garsenda. He shared a white wine made exclusively from the local Xarel-lo grape (pronounced sha-REL-lo)—which is prevalant in the Penedès wine appellation region of Catalonia. He also told how his sparkling wine is made from Chardonnay, Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. The Parellada grape contributes floral aromatics, freshness and delicacy. It also is grown almost exclusively in Catalonia and prefers high elevations.

Dinners in Tossa de Mar, Catalonia, Spain—

Restaurant Cangol

[SPN] Berenjenas asadas con sobrasada, queso de cabra y miel.

[ENG] Roasted aubergines with sobrassada, goat cheese and honey

Wine—

Cellers Underground. Pura Vida. Costers del Segre. 2025.

This is a red wine from the Costers del Segre wine region that includes Grenache, Tempranillo and Syrah.

Restaurant Sa Muralla

[CAT] Vieires à la planxa amb chutney de citrics 

[SPN] Vieiras a a plancha con chutney de cítricos

[ENG] Griddled scallops with citrus fruit chutney

[CAT] Llenguado Meunière

[SPN] Lenguado Meuniére

[ENG] Sole Meunière

Wine—

Perelada. Inspirador Blanc. DO Empordà. 2025.

A blend of red and white Grenache and Macabeo grapes. No barrel aging in this 12.5% white wine.

Reminder—Book Launch Dinner in Caunes Minervois!

Join us on September 16th at the Cantine du Curè in Caunes-Minervois.

Free Recipe from The Winemakers' Cooking Companion Cookbook—

The Winemakers' Cooking Companion cookbook includes 108 recipes from 18 countries—contributed by winemakers, winery chefs and winery owners. Units are both metric and American, and several recipes are marked as vegetarian or vegan.

Some lively book launch events will take place this summer in my village in southern France—including at La Cantine du Curé wine bar/restaurant when winemakers and chefs cook up a storm of recipes. There will also be an event at the Green Cat art gallery.

Recipe—

The free recipe below, from The Winemakers' Cooking Companion, is from the Mediterranean coastal region of Spain.

More Free Chapters From The Book Vino Voices: Wine, Work, Travel, Life—

I'm continuing to provide all chapters from my book Vino Voices: Wine, Work, Travel, Life for free here during the coming months. Originally written over a decade ago, this book has been revised and is available as an e-book. It is 230 pages long and includes interviews with more than 45 professionals in a dozen countries who work in the world of wine, and explain why they love their work. It includes more than 100 photographs.

Click below to download chapters fifteen and sixteen, about a Chilean artist's surprise label for her father's wine, and about a Napa Valley author who published a book about wine country romantic getaways.

What's Next In Vino Voices—

I'll soon feature:

• Wine and food from the Italian speaking Ticino region of southern Switzerland.
• Dinner plans for cookbook launch.
• Wines, food and lifestyle of Cyprus.

Thanks for tuning in!

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