Torres Winery - at the heart of the wine country

Spain is one of the biggest producers of wine in the world, and the Spanish themselves drink an average of 38 liters of year. It´s considered the national drink, which means that one of the pleasures of visiting Spain is that you get to spend the entire trip tasting them. Of course, the best way to experience Spain´s wine culture is to visit a winery so that you can see for yourself how some of the best wines in the world are produced.

The Torres Winery is just a short drive from Barcelona, so it´s perfect as a day trip for those looking to spend some time outside the city, or as a stopover for those driving up from Tarragona. The Torres family has been making wine for over 130 years, and their wines and brandies are would famous.

One of the unique things about the Torres Winery is that they´ve managed to keep it in the family, passing their expertise down from generation to generation. The family has actually been making wine for more than three centuries in the vineyards of Penedès, but it was not until 1870 that Jaime and Miguel Torres Vendrell formed the company Torres & Company Association and began to build their first winery in Vilafrance del Penedès. From the start the company exported their wines internationally and some of them won prizes in Vienna, Philadelphia, and Paris.

In 1939, at the height of the Spanish Civil War, the Torres Winery was bombed. It was only due to the dedication of the family, particularly Miguel Torres Carbó and his wife Margarita, that it was rebuilt. Since then the Torres Winery has enjoyed success, and they family has even opened wineries in the central valley of Chile and in Sonoma Country, California.

Today the Torres wines and brandies are exported to more than 120 countries. In the last decade their wines have won many prizes. 2009 was a particularly good year, in which they were awarded the “Queen Cristina Prize” by the Hispano-Swedish Chamber of Commerce and were named the “Number One Winery on the Green List” in the British Magazine Drinks Business.

A visit to the Torres Winery is a treat  for anyone who wants to see first-hand the origin of their favorite wines. The Torres family has a variety of Red, White, Sparkling, Rosés, Dessert, Brandy, and even non-alcoholic wines. Bottles of wine make excellent gifts for those back home, and the staff is happy to help you choose which ones would suit your tastes.

The winery offers many types of visits. The most economical is the Tourist Visit which lasts one hour and costs only 6€ per person and includes wine tasting. VIP Tours are also available for groups and last 2,5 hours. For 1-5 people the price is 232€ and for 6 or more the price is 40,60€ per person. This tour is much more complete and includes a professional guide.

The Torres Winery is located in Vilafranca del Penedès, which is south of Barcelona. The easiest way to arrive is either by car or by taking the train to the Vilafranca del Penedès station and then taking a taxi to the winery, which is several kilometers from the station. The train leaves from the Sants Station in Barcelona and takes 50 minutes.

Once you´ve visited the winery you can also check out their wine bar, La Vinoteca Torres. Located on Passeig de Gracia 78, this chic bar offers glasses of wine and tapas, all served by a very knowledgeable staff, as well as a terrace in front that´s perfect for people watching. Bottles of wine can also be purchased. http://www.lavinotecatorres.com/

Address: M. Torres, 6, 08720 Vilafranca del Penedès
Phone: +34 93 8177400
Web site: http://www.torres.es