Catalonia

Catalonia (Catalunya in Catalan and Cataluña in Spanish) is a proudly independent region in the north-east of Spain. It stretches from the historic county (comarca) of Montsia in the south to the border with France in the north. The Mediterranean Sea forms its eastern border and offers 360 miles (580km) of coastline.

Unsurprisingly, given its location, Catalonia's climate is strongly Mediterranean, with warm coastal areas experiencing moderate rainfall. Inland areas are more similar to Spain's arid central plateaus, although there are plenty of cooler zones among the foothills and on elevated sites where grapes for the region's signature Cava are grown. These include Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel-lo and some Chardonnay.