1) Spanish wine was the Romans’ favourite tipple
Wine has been produced in Spain since the first century AD. The Roman historian Pliny the elder raved about wines made from the area known today as Alella, which is 20 minutes from Barcelona. Another Roman, Ovid, noted the most popular wine in Rome (from Spain of course) known as Saguntum, was only good for getting your mistress drunk. The Catalan regional government found remnants of an ancient Roman wine press in Teia, near Alella, and have developed an interactive museum tour to see just how wine was made during this time.
The town of Alella, where wine production began in Roman times. Photo: Timmer Brown
2) A record breaking exporter
Priorat is one of two Spanish regions to have attained a DOC classification. Photo: Timmer Brown
5. Cava isn’t just from Catalonia
Everyone knows that Cava is the Spanish equivalent of sparkling wine, which utilizes a similar method of production as Champagne. Although 95 percent of Cava production comes from Catalonia where it originated in the late 19th century at Codorniu Winery in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia it can also be produced in Aragon, Castile and Leon, Valencia, Extremadura, Navarra, Basque Country and Rioja. It is regulated by DO Cava, which determines the rules and regulations of the production of Cava.
The cava cave at the Raventos i Blanc winery in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia. The owners are direct descendants of the originator of cava. Photo: Timmer Brown.
6.Spanish wine was Picasso’s muse.
Members of the Sánchez family in their vineyard on La Palma, Canary Islands. Photo: AFP
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