Wine route through... D. O. Empordà

Three generations of the family have dedicated their lives to the Oliveda vineyard, beginning with José Oliveda Casanovas and his wife Joana Rigau Ros. Anna Maria Oliveda Rigau, the couple’s only child, decided to follow in the footsteps of her parents, along with her husband Josep Freixa Escarrà, and the family business has grown from there. Currently, the company is headed by Alfonso Freixa Oliveda, their son, who in his 30 years in charge has been able to adapt to new needs and is building a project with its own identity. The winery is located at the foot of the Albera hills, in an area well known for the effects of the Tramuntana wind, at Capmany. They grow a variety of grapes; the more traditional Grenache and Carignan have been joined by the more internationally known Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

The cellar’s wide variety of wines fall into four families:

Mediterranean wines, which includes the Rigau Ros, Masia Oliveda and Clos Primat labels.

Estate wines, wines from grapes planted in the Rabós, Vilamaniscle and Capmany vineyards.

Sweet wines, a range that has been a staple for many years in the Empordà area.

And lastly, the caves, one of the main products of this winery, marketed under four labels: OH!, Familia Oliveda, Gran Rigau and Batet.

Chef Toni Sabas was born in San Sadurní, in cava country, where he grew up in the vineyards . He was always fond of food, and in 1994 enrolled at the Barcelona Escola d’Hostaleria and at the same time worked in La Llar del Pagès restaurant in Barcelona’s Sants district. His interest in food from further afield came from meeting Louis Neichel. La Llar del Pagès in Capmany opened in December 2001, and has since been devoted to careful preparation of its produce to extract the best flavour using the best culinary methods to ensure the greatest care is taken over the process. Toni is a lover of foie gras, truffles and mushrooms, and they take great pride in their dedicated seasonal menus, taking advantage of local produce when it is at its best.