Penedès and Priorat in pictures

No trip to Codorníu would be complete without taking the white train, which zoomed us around the estate and filled us in on its impressive history. Founded in 1551, Codorníu is the oldest family business in Spain, and the oldest Cava producer.

The cellars in Sant Sadurní d’anoia were built at the beginning of the 20th century by Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, as first choice Antonio Gaudí was otherwise engaged.

Jaume Codorníu Gran Reserva 2011’s creamy depth proved a perfect partner for a decadent lunch of juicy gambas and blackberries.

In 1872, Josep Raventós produced Cava for the first time in Spain using the traditional method. Convinced he had chanced upon something the world would go wild for, he commissioned the aforementioned Josep Puig i Cadafalch to build him a cavernous cellar to house his future bottles. Havana was the company’s first export market, with Buenos Aires following shorty after.

Many respects are paid to heiress Anna Codorníu at the estate, as her marriage to Miquel Raventós in 1659 united two powerful wine families.

Chief winemaker Bruno Colomer is experimenting with fermenting in different shapes and materials, including these two amphorae.

During our visit, Bruno treated us to a tasting of some of his base wines and revealed that he’s working on a sparkling Albariño for fun.

After the tour we sat down to taste through the Codorníu range, which includes the estate’s flagship fizz, Anna Blanc de Blancs, which is going great guns in export markets around the world. The Chardonnay dominant blend is targeted predominantly at the on-trade.

After a whistle stop tour of Codorníu we paced it to Priorat, arriving just in time to catch this glorious sunset.

Safely stowed in Priorat, we paid a visit to historic winery Scala Dei, meaning ladder of God. The estate dates back to the 12th century when Carthusian monks introduced vine growing into the region.

At the helm now is chief winemaker Ricard Rofes, who treated us to a fascinating comparative tasting of a pair of Garnachas grown on clay and slate soils. The difference between them was astounding, proving the existence and importance of terroir if you ever doubted it.

Cartoxia is crafted from the estates best Garnacha vines and bears the trace of the region’s signature licorella soils. Bright but bold, raspberries, violets, plums and pepper mingle with its distinctive minerality and velvety tannins – a beautiful and beguiling wine.

The region is as dramatic as its wines. The best way to see it is kicking up dust on a quad bike, which Ricard did, while we made do with a jeep.

After a tumultuous trek up to the top of one of the estates single vineyards, Mas Deu, lunch beckoned at this adorable stone hut.

Priorat’s clay soils are brick red and add structure and grip to the wines, while the slate smooths out the blend with an appealing mineral character.

Burn baby burn

Codorníu’s communications manager Victor Sanchez warms up with a trio of salads before the meat feast begins in earnest. Joining him are two of the ten sommeliers from private member’s club 67 Pall Mall in St James’s.

Nothing quite beats enjoying a wine in the exact spot where it came from. This single vineyard Garnacha was hauntingly beautiful and shows off the heights the much-maligned grape can achieve in the right soils and when treated with the care and respect it deserves.

And finally… the majesty of Priorat all got a bit much for db’s Lucy Shaw, who felt compelled to jump on a rock and celebrate the magnificent view.