Empordà Wine Region Guide

History

Wine has been made in the Costa Brava since the 5th century BC when Phoenicians first colonized this part of eastern Spain. However, the entire peninsula was under Roman control by 197 BC. The greatest moment for the people of Catalunya came in AD 74, when all adults and children living in Hispania were declared Roman citizens, with all the privileges and rights this granted. As a result, the use of Latin spread, and Roman culture became ingrained in their daily lives. This included the importance of wine growing as a source of great pleasure for rich and poor alike.

Yet after the Western Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century, all hell broke loose. Marauding Franks, Vandals, and Visigoths all attempted to conquer Hispania in the wake of the Roman power vacuum, although the Moors finally emerged triumphant. In 711, the Muslim general Tariq landed a force of men at Gibraltar, quickly subjugating Andalucia and much of Spain and Portugal. Indeed, all of Catalunya found itself under Muslim domination by 718. However, the situation would not last long; the Franks launched a series of counterattacks, retaking Barcelona in 801. By the late 10th century, the Casal de Barcelona ruled most of modern Catalunya and Roussillon, part of France today.

In 1469, Fernando of Aragon married Isabel of Castile, uniting these two great monarchies. This state of affairs was intolerable for most Catalans, albeit the region maintained some autonomy. However, the wine industry was booming under the capable stewardship of monks and nuns from monasteries and nunneries that proliferated after the Moors were ejected in the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, Catalan dreams of independence died a death after Felipe V emerged triumphant from the War of the Spanish Succession. The despotic king abolished the Generalitat (Catalan parliament) and banned the language from institutions.

But local industries were thriving and leaving Madrid for dust; textiles, cork production, leather, and paper became Catalunya’s key exports. So too, were the vineyards of Empordà on a roll, producing high-quality wines that locals consumed with relish. Only the advent of phylloxera spoiled the party, wiping out much of the region’s acreage. Sadly, many terraced vineyards were never replanted after a solution was found (regrafting European vines onto American rootstock), as they were too difficult and expensive to farm.

In the 20th century, history repeated itself. After Franco emerged victorious in the Spanish Civil War, Catalunya’s independence and free spirit were crushed; Franco abolished the Generalitat and outlawed Catalan being taught in schools. Fortunately, the transition to democracy after his death in 1975 saw Catalunya achieve more autonomy than ever since 1714. Meanwhile, a constant stream of investment has been revitalizing the region’s less outstanding DOs – Empordà included.