At the beginning of May we posted an article about the Baix (low) Emporda region which is part of the Denominacion de Origen (D.O.) Emporda. Since then we were able to go back and visit the Alt (high) Emporda and we are ready to tell you everything about it.
The upper part of the Emporda region is located in the north east corner of Catalonia. Actually the furthest point to the east of the Iberian Peninsula is Cap de Creus precisely in the Alt Emporda. Bordering France from the north the capital of this region is Figueres, a city known for being home to the amazing Salvador Dali Museum.
The first vineyard we were scheduled to visit during this journey was Martin Faixo. This family run estate took our breath away the moment we arrived there; it’s located in the hills half way from Roses to the famous town of Cadaques right in the Cap de Creus Natural Park.
The cellar, production and other facilities are in a charming house from the 14th century restored in 2004. Our visit was really nice and we were treated and felt like part of the family (which by the way during the vintage gathers 3 generations to work together). After a quick tasting we decided to enjoy the views of Cap de Creus and then have lunch in the their restaurant in Cadaques – Can Rafa. What a great choice that was! Delicious and fresh fish and seafood with of course a selection of Martin Faixo wines.
The next day we visited La Vinyeta. This young and dynamic project was started over 10 years ago by a young couple who decided to purchase land just outside of the little village of Mollet de Peralada and make this their life project.
We were lucky to have the owner Marta to be our guide, wine expert and tell us everything about this interesting journey they embarked.
Their approach towards wine production from the technical point of view is incredible which is reflected in the various lines of wines they offer. Another amazing feature that shows their dedication and how much they care about the product is the visual aspect of the labels – each with a different and unique story.
To wrap up our visit we sat down and had the picnic that they offer – highly recommendable! We enjoyed local and organic products (like the olive oil from the estate) along with great wines. Since it was really hot that day I specially remember and recommend their white Heus – very refreshing and balanced with hints of tropical fruits like pineapple.
Going back to Barcelona after these great experiences wasn’t easy however we manage to bring a selection of wines form the vineyards we visited that made the following days more pleasant.
