The multilingual guides at Freixenet are personable and knowledgeable. The bottling process that you'll view is loud and mechanical, and the video is a bit lame, but some of the cellars are impressively cool, dark, full of cobwebs, and appropriately musty. After the tour, you are taken to a rooftop tasting room, offering delightful cavas and a high vantage point of the small town. Besides Freixenet, there are scores of wineries producing obscure labels a short walk away. None offer the sort of organized tours you would find in France or California's Sonoma Valley, but you may find a rare gem that suits your palate and would make a great addition to your cellar.
Visits are limited to mornings and a few hours after the traditional afternoon siesta.
Be warned that the countryside here is hot and dry during the summer months, which is why most of the region's activities are below ground. He is Supervising National Photo Editor of the Associated Press. All rights reserved.