Bodegas Alta Alella, Alella

We had to read it twice: the remarkable history of winegrowing around Alella, some 20 km north of Barcelona, dates back to the third century BC. In the Middle Ages the local wines earned royal recognition and were supplied to the Crown of Aragon. Perhaps that is why they were particularly fashionable among Barcelona’s high society from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. The Alella designation was finally protected in 1953 and still stands for wines of the highest quality.

It became an adventurous family project, the Bodega Alta Alella for Josep Maria Pujol-Busquets and his wife Cristina Guillén after they bought the Art Deco Can Genis property in Marina Natural Park in 1990. Highly motivated, the couple planted their first traditional vines just a year later, followed by long-forgotten varieties such as Mataró. Ten years passed before the first wine could be made. Today, all 17 hectares of vineyards are cultivated organically, a logical choice for owners who wish to preserve the nature reserve's biodiversity and work in harmony with its flora and fauna. After extensive development work driven by enthusiasm and passion, Bodega Alta Alella now ranks among the area's finest. Its future is already taking shape, as their daughters Mireia and Georgina are actively involved.