Catalan wine takes centre stage at Tast a la Rambla 2023

Tast a La Rambla – Barcelona's 9th Gastronomy Week is a major culinary festival with 36 of Barcelona's best restaurants, bars and pastry shops. It brings their tapas and tastings to locals and visitors across a total of some 7,272 m2 devoted to Barcelona's food, wines and hospitality.

PRODECA - Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda organised the participation of Catalan wineries in this food festival that has become a must for Barcelona's keenest food lovers.

The Catalan wine space, in  Plaça de Catalunya from 8 to 11 June, took up more than 100 square metres with 8 marquees for 8 participating wineries: Celler Cesca Vicent, Celler Ronadelles, Clos Pons (Grup Pons), Juvé & Camps, Maset, Mas Rodó Vitivinícola, MontRubí, Vins i Caves Portell.

The participating wineries' wines were tasted in 4 sessions led by the sommelier of the Gastroteca.cat, the Gemma Muray.

Two sessions were devoted to "Sparkling and white wines. From the best-known varieties to the most forgotten", where the following wines were served and tasted: MontRubí: Ancestral Rosé 2022 (100% Sumoll), JUVÉ & CAMPS: Essential Púrpura Brut Reserva (Xarel·lo, Macabeu, Parellada) DO Penedès, Mas Rodó: 100% Montònega DO Penedès, Clos Pons: Sisquella 2019 (Garnatxa Blanca and Macabeu) DO Costers del Segre.

The other two sessions showed "The versatility of red varieties in the glass", featuring the following wines: Vins i Caves Portell: Rosat 2022 (Trepat) DO Conca de Barberà, Celler Ronadelles: Guineu Argent 2021 (Garnatxa and Carinyena) DO Montsant, Maset: Natura Criança 2019 (Garnatxa, Merlot) DO Penedès, Celler Cesca Vicent: Lo Pió 2017 (Garnatxa, Cabernet, Carinyena) DOQ Priorat.

Catalonia also ran 8 live cooking sessions with a selection of leading chefs who conveyed Catalonia's agri-food strength and explained why it is a top-level international food destination, showcasing the Catalan larder: rich, versatile, varied and in tune with the Mediterranean diet. Each session proposed a pairing with wines from the wineries taking part in Tast a la Rambla.

Carles Gaig, chef and owner of Restaurant Gaig, led the session Rice dishes from Pals to the Ebro Delta. Joseba Cruz, chef and owner of Le Clandestin, showed his cooking with primary produce from Bages and Berguedà.

Vicent Guimerà, chef and owner of l'Antic Molí*, presented the Mans project. Craft, Sustainability & Nature.

Carlota Claver, chef and owner of Restaurant La Gormanda, cooked with local, zero-kilometre produce. Núria Gironés, chef at Restaurant Ca L'Isidre, explained the importance of salt cod in Catalan recipes. Miquel Antoja, chef and owner of Foodlona, built his live cooking session around the use of extra virgin olive oil, and Marc Gascons, chef and owner of Els Tinars*, closed the day's programme cooking Empordà surf and turf.