Wine has been made in Empordà for centuries, ever since the ancient Greeks arrived and set up trading ports along the coast.

But the region’s reputation has never quite caught up with its potential. 

Which is a shame, because Empordà has everything you need to make world-class reds...

• A smorgasbord of clay, slate and granite soils, which means the grapes can develop amazingly varied and complex flavours
• The fierce tramuntana wind, which blows in from the Pyrenees and keeps the vineyards healthy and fresh
• A patchwork of old vines going back decades, including some of the oldest Carignan in Spain.

As recently as 20 years ago, Empordà was dominated by 13 big co-ops churning out bulk wine by the litre.

World-famous restaurants like El Bulli and El Celler de Can Roca, right on their doorsteps, wouldn’t touch the local stuff.

But that’s all changed.

As top restaurants started demanding local ingredients, local winemakers stepped up to the challenge. Today there are just 3 co-ops left, and 54 thriving independent wineries.

And one name in particular is on everyone’s lips right now.

My friend Ferran Centelles, former head sommelier at El Bulli and Spanish wine writer for Jancis Robinson, is always the first person I call when I’m hunting for wine in Spain.

When Ferran tells you someone is the real deal… you act.

So when he told me about a young winemaker called Carlota Pena doing amazing things in Empordà, I had to find out more.