The history of wine in Bages goes back a long way. In the 10th century, the monks of the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages were already producing it. Over the centuries, vine growing spread throughout the region and shaped the landscape, the economy and the daily life of many villages. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, Bages experienced major wine-growing expansion, becoming one of the areas with the largest vineyard surface in Catalonia. This growth left a very visible mark on the territory, with terraces, wine vats and dry-stone huts linked to vineyard work. After the severe impact of phylloxera at the end of the 19th century, the sector lost momentum, but at the beginning of the 20th century it regained strength with initiatives such as the Celler Cooperatiu d’Artés. This legacy, preserved over time, gained new recognition with the creation of the Pla de Bages Designation of Origin in 1995. Today, the DO brings together several wineries spread across municipalities such as Manresa, Artés, Sant Fruitós de Bages, Fonollosa, Salelles and Maians. A territory that gives wine its character Bages has a Mediterranean mid-mountain microclimate, with marked winters, scarce rainfall and hot summers. Its rolling, poor soils favour low yields, but also grapes of excellent quality. These conditions explain the balanced and distinctive character of the wines of the DO Pla de Bages. Picapoll and other native varieties The most emblematic variety of the designation is picapoll, a native grape with small berries and fine skin, marked by characteristic small spots. It ripens late and produces fruity, fresh and bright white wines. Alongside picapoll, wines are also made with varieties such as ull de llebre, cabernet sauvignon, macabeu and chardonnay. The result is aromatic reds and rosés, as well as light and elegant whites. Dry-stone heritage and the Bages landscape Bages preserves one of the most distinctive dry-stone landscapes linked to the world of wine. Vineyard huts, terraces and wine vats shape a territory modelled over centuries by the work of farmers and the strength of the wine-growing tradition. The vineyard huts, scattered between fields and woods, were used to store tools and provide shelter, and today they continue to tell the deep story of the relationship between the land, the vine and rural life. One of the best places to discover this legacy is the Flequer valley, within the Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac Natural Park. Here, an itinerary of around 5 km allows visitors to explore an exceptional group of huts, terraces and vats built into the landscape. The vats, or wine presses, were used to make wine beside the vines and are a unique example of the region’s wine-growing past. Wineries of the DO Pla de Bages The Pla de Bages Designation of Origin now brings together 17 wineries, heirs to a long wine-growing tradition in a region that, in the 19th century, had the largest vineyard surface in Catalonia. Most of them are family-run estates and all work with their own vineyards, creating a very direct relationship with the land and careful attention to the whole process, from vine to glass. This close bond with the territory translates into wines with personality and an approach that feels genuine and welcoming. To complete the experience, several wineries in the area open their doors to visitors and offer guided tours and tastings. These include Abadal, Heretat Oller del Mas, Solergibert, Celler Cooperatiu d’Artés, Celler el Molí, Celler Grau i Grau and Fargas-Fargas.