Making a visit to Castillo Perelada Winery is a joy, for it not only produces exceedingly good wines, but is situated in a small medieval village and has a castle dating back to the 14th Century. The village of Perelada is located in the heart of the Empordá plain in the north-eastern corner of Spain, where the foothills of the Pyrenees stretch out to the Mediterranean, and just 15 kilometres from the Spanish-French border.

The Cavas of Castillo Perelada Winery have built a strong reputation as one of the finest of their type. So much so that in fact at a blind tasting of cavas prior to the marriage of Spanish Prince Felipe to his fiancée Letizia in 2004, the cava selected was Castillo Perelada Winery’s Gran Claustro. The range of cavas includes a Reserva range of Brut, Seco and Semi-seco. There is then a Brut Nature and a Brut Nature Cuvée Especial. The finest cava is cellared underneath the ancient Carmen monastery next to the castle.

Castillo Perelada Winery has 150 hectares of vineyards in the Empordà-Costa Brava Denomination of Origin. The carefully chosen sites have grown into excellent vineyards, and with the help of its experimental winery, the winemakers of Castillo Perelada Winery have turned the grapes into well-defined, select, noble wine products, distinguished by their elegant aromas and richness of tones.

After a drive around the vineyards of Castillo Perelada Winery and a tour of the winery you will additionally visit the 14th Century Castle, built by the viscounts of Rocaberti and where, in the underground wine cellars, still in use today, the Carmelite Friars made wine from grapes grown in the region’s impressive vineyards. The impressive history of this very attractive castle is comprehensively documented in the books and parchments held in the Castillo de Perelada library, which you will also have an opportunity to visit.

In 1923 the Perelada castle was purchased by Don Miguel Mateu, a unique character who deftly combined his skills for business, his deep political and social vocation –which lead him to hold the offices of Mayor of Barcelona and Spanish Ambassador to Paris- and an admirable sensibility for art and culture.One of Miguel Mateu’s lifelong dreams was to revive the Empordá’s winemaking tradition, where grapes were already grown in the 5th century bc, when the early coastal settlers moved inland in search of more fertile land. Since Miguel’s time, three generations of the Suqué Mateu family have established the Perelada Group as one of Spain’s leading winemakers. It is not surprising that these wines have earned a great many prizes at national and international competitions.

Following such a grand winery visit you will certainly have built up a thirst for a tasting of the Castillo Perelada Winery wines!

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