Catalonia’s Vins de Finca Qualificada arrive.

When we think of Catalonia, we think of Barcelona, Gaudi, tapas and …Cava, the famous Spanish sparkling wine produced here in the Penedès region. But Catalonia is not just about bubbles., although this particular area produces 90 percent of Catalonia’s sparkling wine production.

Catalonia also produces white wines and red wines that today, more and more, are seeking recognition to be appreciated both in the Iberian Peninsula and in the rest of the world. Thus were born the Vins de Finca Qualificada (VFQ), the only 19 Catalan wines that, as of 2024, can bear this mention, a kind of recognition similar to the concept of cru. Grazie al delegato del Governo della Catalogna in Italia Luca Bellizzi e all’organizzazione di Saula Giusto li abbiamo scoperti in un interessante tasting romano in grado di darne una esaustiva panoramica.

But how are these Iberian peninsula cru born?

Their recognition stems from the need to to create a hard core of recognizable, high-quality wines produced in Catalonia. The VFQ project developed with the awarding of this special designation by the INCAVI (Institut Català de la Vinya i el Vi – Catalan Institute of Vine and Wine) and presents a strict decalogue that wineries must adhere to in order to achieve the goal. To begin with, the wines must have obtained the Designation of Origin (DO) for at least 10 years and have production yields 15% lower than those established by the relevant DO. The owner of the vineyards must coincide with the owner of the winery ( no vineyards for rent) and winemaking must take place in a winery located on the same farm, or nearby (no third party).

Not for all wineries

In addition, the winery must have a history of prestige and quality in the market, proven and recognized, for at least 10 years, with complete and specific traceability from production to marketing and, above all, with typical geological and climatic characteristics. Finally, there is no lack of a rule, perhaps a bit too stringent, that sees The aging of VFQ designation wines in oak barrels, with a maximum capacity of six hundred liters.

Certainly these characteristics allowed us to taste some typical products from Catalonia, capable of expressing the peculiarities of the territory and the Catalan style in white and red wines. The presence of wood, in both whites and reds, highlights a style played on richness and opulence, body and structure, which makes these wines definitely more suitable for pairing with food.

Here are the most convincing tastings:

TO READ THE WINE DESCRIPTIONS, WITH SCORE AND AVERAGE SHELF PRICE, CLICK ON THE TABS BELOW.