Castell de Pujades is a family-run winery situated in the heart of the renowned Classic Penedès region of Catalonia. For six generations, the Ferrer family has been growing grapes indigenous to the region here: Macabeu, Xarel-lo, Parellada and the almost extinct Red Xarel.lo. Their focus is on crafting wines that have a sense of place and that showcase the terroir of the vineyard. To that end, they farm organically and work the land by hand. Classic Penedès is Cava country and the specialty of the winery. The vineyards are planted in calcareous rock, with patches of gravel and sand. Dry-farmed, the vines are protected from the hot, humid summers by the winds that come off the nearby Mediterranean. Evenings here are cool—at times barely above freezing during the growing season—due to the elevation and proximity to the ocean. This large diurnal shift allows for full ripening and development of flavour, while retaining the acidity necessary to make great Cava.