Penedès
Penedès is a Catalan wine region where Xarel·lo leads a wide range of whites, alongside reds, rosés and sparkling wines.
The landscape runs from coastal areas to higher inland zones, so Penedès covers several ripening environments. Xarel·lo is the leading local white grape, supported by Macabeu and Parellada as well as other varieties. Producers make direct young whites and more structured wines shaped by lees, vessels or ageing.
The geographical region and the various sparkling-wine designations are not interchangeable. Clàssic Penedès is a specific sparkling category within this appellation, while other nearby producers use different protected names. Read the actual designation on the bottle rather than treating Penedès as a synonym for every Catalan sparkling wine.