There is scientific evidence that Viticulture was already present among Europeans 11,000 years agoBut there are many things we don't know about how that crop was grown. Now, a study published in the journal Nature Researchers have been able to trace the origins of Pinot Noir grapes back in time thanks to the genome of 54 archaeological grape seeds, including 47 samples from France and 2 from Ibiza, dating back 4,000 years. This in-depth analysis has led to several conclusions. One of the discoveries made by the team led by Ludovic Orlando, director of the Center for Anthropobiology and Genomics (CAGT) in Toulouse, is that the Pinot Noir variety has remained unchanged for 600 years, indicating continuous cultivation. The medieval sample, found in Valenciennes, is exactly identical to the modern variety.

The founding family and the former honorary president of the Freixenet cava producer, José Luis Bonet, have agreed to sell their remaining stake in the company to the German group Henkell, which will thus control all of the capital, as Freixenet itself announced in a statement on Tuesday. "After eight years of close cooperation, the Ferrer family and José Luis Bonet have sold the remaining shares of Freixenet by mutual agreement to Henkell Freixenet, which will thus become the sole owner of Freixenet as of March 2, 2026," the statement reads. The price of the transaction has not been disclosed. Henkell acquired a stake in the cava producer Based in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia (Alt Penedès), Henkell Freixenet acquired 50.7% of the shares from various branches of the Ferrer family, descendants of the winery's founders, for approximately €220 million. Since then, the company has been led by Andreas Brokemper as co-CEO alongside Pere Ferrer, who will now become honorary chairman of the company, a position previously held by Bonet, to whom he is a first cousin. "The sale of our shares marks an emotional moment for us. As two family businesses that share the same values, we have found in Henkell Freixenet a trusted partner who will preserve our legacy while leading the company into the future," Ferrer stated in the press release. The businessman will remain involved in the wine sector through his personal company, Ferrer Wines.

Sara Pérez (Geneva, 1972) is one of the most respected voices in the wine world. The winemaker at Mas Martinet and Venus La Universal, she was born in Switzerland, where her family was in exile. At the age of two, she returned to Priorat, where she planted roots as deep as they were sentimental. She vehemently defends organic and sustainable viticulture. The daughter of one of the Magnificent Five of Priorat, Josep Lluís Pérez, and the younger daughter of another, René Barbier, Sara Pérez has just been recognized with the prestigious Golden Gueridon at the San Sebastián Gastronomika congress. It was an award ex aequo with Master of Wine Almudena Alberca.

This time of year, treading the vineyards is a true spectacle. We must take advantage of the fact that the plants are in full bloom and that we are fortunate to have a good part of the country covered in vines. The wineries are mostly very busy because they are immersed in the grape harvest, but it's a great time to visit them. The other day we echoed the impressive cabins that they have in Celler Oller del Mas (Bages) at the foot of the vineyard, and today I propose another wine tourism proposal, in this case much more informal: The Planes by Sicus (Bonastro, Baix Penedès).

If you are given the choice between two wines and all you know is that one is from young vines and the other is from old vines, which would you choose? Wines made from old vines attract attention because they come from vines that can be older than the oldest person at the table. The age of the vineyard may lead one to assume that the wine must be of high quality, but the fact that it is made from an old vineyard does not mean that the wine always has to be good.