DO Cataluña: 25 years of roots, trust, and future

The Catalunya Designation of Origin (DO) celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, doing so with its eyes set on the future but its feet firmly planted on the ground. Founded with the aim of being a strategic tool for the entire Catalan wine sector, the DO Catalunya has established itself as one of the most representative figures of the country's wine. One of the keys to this success has been its flexible and open structure, which has allowed wineries and winegrowers to develop their projects with creative freedom, but, of course, with the commitment that the territory deserves and the umbrella of a recognized European quality seal.

The DO Catalunya covers a vast area that includes all the regions with a winemaking tradition in the country. The figures speak for themselves: more than 400 municipalities in the four Catalan demarcations, from the interior to areas near the coast, and nearly 200 registered wineries. This extensive geographical coverage translates into a wealth of soils, microclimates, and varieties, resulting in diverse, expressive, and unique wines.

One of the great successes of the DO Catalunya has been earning the sustained trust of consumers, both domestically and internationally. Its ability to offer honest wines with personality and an excellent quality/price ratio has positioned it as one of the appellations with the greatest presence in points of sale. DO Catalunya wines have been able to adapt to new consumption patterns, maintaining their essence and guaranteeing traceability, quality, and origin. This down-to-earth approach that characterizes the DO Catalunya allows it to quickly perceive new trends and adapt with agility. A clear example of this capacity is the creation of two pioneering labels in recent years: Catalonia Wine Region and Barcelona Sustainable CataloniaThe first recognizes the work of winemakers who cultivate their own vineyards within Catalonia, a characteristic that more and more consumers are taking into account: "Those who look after their vineyards, but also take on all the processes until we open a bottle of wine, demonstrate a firm commitment to their product, their environment and landscape, and their public," argues the president of the DO.

The second, on the other hand, emphasizes the commitment to the environment and the fight against the climate emergency. DO Catalunya wines that enjoy this distinction have committed to reducing annual CO₂ emissions by 50% by 2030, taking 2008 as a reference, and to producing at least 35% of their own renewable energy by 2030. They have also committed to achieving carbon neutrality.

Despite the cumulative effects of the drought in recent years and profound changes in wine consumption, the DO has managed to resist and adapt, maintaining more than 50% of Catalan still wine bottled under the Designation of Origin. This figure speaks not only to volume, but also to the trust placed in it by winemakers and the strategic role it plays in the country's economy and winemaking culture.

Low alcohol

Another example of the DO Catalunya's ability to adapt to new social realities is that its regulations now incorporate, in a pioneering way, the possibility of producing low-alcohol wines. This possibility has allowed it to anticipate global health trends and new lifestyles that are increasingly shared by more people. Over these 25 years, the DO Catalunya has consolidated itself, but it has also laid the foundations to face the future and, ultimately, to continue evolving.

In this sense, work is also being done on new modifications to address the effects of climate change, water scarcity, and the changing consumer landscape. With an open and dynamic vision, the DO Catalunya is preparing to continue being a useful, innovative, and inclusive tool for the next 25 years.

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