Costers del Segre Wine Region Guide

Geography and terroir

Costers del Segre lies in western Catalunya, with its northern vineyards reaching into the Catalan Pyrenees. To the west is the autonomous community of Aragón – the Segre River (from which the region takes its name) joins the Ebro at Mequinenza, southwest of Lleida. And with so much to offer along the coast and in Barcelona, most travelers tend not to bother much with Catalunya’s interior. More fool them: this is a sparsely populated and beautiful region, largely tourist-free.

Vines grow in all directions across Costers del Segre, which is divided into seven widely scattered subzones:

• Artesa de Segre
• Les Garrigues
• Pallars Jussa
• Raimat
• Segria
• Valls del Riucorb
• Urgell

As a result, soils and growing conditions can vary significantly between different zones, although the overall climate has been described as “harsh” by many residents.

Of course, they refer to the semi-arid, continental climate of Costers del Segre: scorching summers and bitterly cold winters. Indeed, to the untrained eye, Costers del Segre is an unlikely winegrowing destination – a place where making fresh and balanced wines should be impossible.

Yet it isn’t. As Codorníu’s head winemaker Bruno Colomer so eloquently observed:

“We have to keep in mind that Costers del Segre offers a very particular climate and soil. The region’s continental climate – depending on the distance to the sea – can be beneficial for optimal ripening; its ‘secret’ is the fluctuating temperatures between day and night which have a positive effect on grape maturation.”

Growers regard this diurnal variation as their most important natural advantage. Nevertheless, irrigation is essential in certain parts of the DO.

Winemaking and regional classifications

With many grape varieties and terroirs at their disposal, winegrowers in Costers del Segre like to market a broad spectrum of styles. This vinous diversity is positively encouraged by the DO—red, white, and rosado (rosé) wines are given equal billing here. Grapes are also used to produce sparkling wine in Costers del Segre, under either the regional DO or the Cava appellation.

High-altitude sites and old Xarel·lo bush vines are in great demand in the zone. The best examples can rival the tremendous efforts of Gramona and Recaredo in the more established vineyards of Penedes.

However, still wines are far more important in terms of sales – both at home and abroad. Today, some of the finest reds are being made in the Garrigues subregion, just over the Montsant range from Priorat, and the terrain is not dissimilar. These Grenache-dominant cuvées can offer exceptional value: spicy, potent, and gloriously rich. Under the DO rules, they can be sold as Crianzas (two years aging before release, including at least six months in oak) or Gran Reservas (at least two years in oak followed by three years in bottle).

The use of oak is commonplace in Costers de Segre, particularly for Grenache, Carignan, and Monastrell blends. They are increasingly joined by excellent Tempranillo reds, sometimes mixed with international grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The Valls del Riu Corb subzone has shown great promise for Bordeaux’s premier red grape; Artesa de Segre offers ripe flavors and silky textures.

Meanwhile, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc have made their mark in Pallars, particularly at Castell d’Encus. But, for many consumers, Raimat’s vast range of varietal wines is the safest bet. The surprises are admittedly few, but Raimat is hard to beat for quality and consistency.

The lowdown

Costers de Segre emerged in the 1990s as an ambitious producer in the Spanish wine world. Raimat and, more recently, Familia Torres have worked hard to raise the region’s profile. This family company broke new ground with the release of Purgatori, originally a beguiling concoction of Syrah, Carignan, and Grenache.

That original blend – expect oodles of garrigue, red fruit, and cassis on the palate – seems to have caught the imagination of buyers and the wine-drinking public. It has helped spread the renown of Catalunya’s most underrated viticultural resource. From the 2022 vintage, Purgatori combines Garnacha with the recovered Gonfaus variety, replacing the earlier blend’s Carignan and Syrah.

The region is buoyant with new wineries and experimentation with pre-phylloxera varieties; the accusation that Costers del Segre “is more New World than Catalan” is no longer valid. Greatness is not just about scarcity or prestige.

The vast majority of wines made in Costers del Segre are bottles to be enjoyed and not hidden away: well-made, delicious, and suited to a wide range of cuisines. It has become one of Catalunya’s most reliable sources of excellent vino. Let’s celebrate it.

Costers del Segre gastronomy

The interior of central Catalunya offers a wide variety of gastronomic pleasures, from lamb grazed on the Pyrenean foothills to freshwater fish of the Segre. Lleida serves up the most enticing options in this part of rural Catalunya; the city is the province’s snail-eating capital. Indeed, endless cargols are consumed during May’s annual Aplec del Cargol snail fest. But delicious tapas (of the non-snail variety) are also abundant for those who prefer not to gorge on gastropods.

Catalan Gastronomy Guide: Read more