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Penedès has long been associated with innovative vineyards and wineries. In the 1970s, it became the first area in Spain to use stainless steel equipment and cold-fermentation. Since then the Penedès producers have been making excellent modern wines blending native with French varieties.
They are helped by the variety of altitudes, landscapes and microclimates which allow many different grapes to grow well here. More recently there has been extensive research work on recovering native varieties, on the development of integrated and organic cultivation techniques, and on experiments with further new varieties and densities of planting. There is a wine museum in the area's main town, Vilafranca del Penedès.
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Fact file
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CRDO address:
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Pol. Ind. Domenys II, Plaza Agora
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09720 Vilafranca del Penedès
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Barcelona
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Spain
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DO established
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28 June 1960
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Last updated
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13 November 1992
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Telephone
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+34-93-890-4811
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Fax
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+34-93-890-4754
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E-mail
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dopenedes@dopenedes.es
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Website
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www.dopenedes.es
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Vineyards:
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Subzones
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Area under vine
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27,824ha
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Altitude of vineyards
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Sea level to 750 m
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Soil types
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Sandy rising to clay, up to 20% carbonates, deep
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Principal grapes (w)
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Macabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada, Subirat-Parent, Chardonnay
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Principal grapes (r)
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Tempranillo, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Garnacha Tinta, Cariñena, Monastrell, Samsó, Merlot
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Permitted grapes (w)
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-
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Permitted grapes (r)
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-
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Experimental grapes (w)
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Chenin Blanc, Muscat d'Alexandria, Muscat de Frontignan, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer
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Experimental grapes (r)
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Cabernet-Franc, Pinot Noir, Syrah
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Organic viticulture
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1,500 ha
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Climate:
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Max. summer temp.
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33°C
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Min. Winter temp.
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-3.5°C
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Average rainfall
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525 mm
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Average sunshine
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2,350 hours/year
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Production:
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Maximum crop
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Red: 9,324 kg/ha; white: 11,700 kg/ha
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Yield
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-
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Equivalent hl/ha
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Red: 69 hl/ha; white: 86.5 hl/ha
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Production 2003
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518,413
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Production 2004
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468,565
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Production 2005
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-
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Wine types:
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White
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Min 9% max 13% abv
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Pink
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Min 10% max 13% abv
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Red
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Min 10% max 14% abv
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Other
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Aguja: min 10% max 13% abv; Sparkling: min 10.8% max 112.8% abv
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Ageing in oak:
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Crianza
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6 months oak, 18 months bottle
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Reserva
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12 months oak, 24 months bottle
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Gran Reserva
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24 months oak, 36 months bottle
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Wineries:
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Number of Wineries
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200
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Total exports - 2005
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115,039 hl
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Total exports - 2006
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-
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Total exports - 2007
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103,253 hl
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