La Taverna del VINSEUM

A great reason to visit the town of Vilafranca del Penedès is VINSEUM, the Museum of the Wine Cultures of Catalonia, an institution with an intense cultural and educational programme. The museum regularly organises tastings, workshops, and activities linked to the world of wine, but it is the permanent collection – with its monumental presses, archaeological remains, artworks, and historical narratives – that fills an entire sector with pride.

Right next to VINSEUM, in the same building, you will find La Taverna del VINSEUM, a lively wine bar run by Enric Santisteban, a passionate sommelier and an outstanding connoisseur of local producers. One of the great pleasures of La Taverna is its circular bar, where Enric offers face-to-face tastings, engaging directly with guests in a relaxed and informal setting.

The wine list gives a voice not only to leading local producers such as Enric Soler, Pardas, Mestres, or Gramona, but also to emerging wineries like Cisteller and L'Enclòs de Peralba, among many others. Around 90% of the selection is dedicated to local producers, reinforcing a strong sense of place.

The gastronomic offering also champions local talent. Well-known restaurants from Vilafranca del Penedès, such as Cal Ton and El Cigró d’Or, have contributed to shaping the food proposal, as La Taverna does not aim to compete with local restaurants, but rather to act as a showcase for the region’s gastronomy.

From here, I can only highly recommend both the museum and La Taverna for a perfect wine-focused morning – ideally rounded off with a visit to a local producer, of course.