Catalonia World Region of Gastronomy: The Art of Pairing Wines and Delta Rice Dishes

As we reported earlier this year, the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism named Catalonia the World Region of Gastronomy 2025 – Som Gastronomia, an event that Familia Torres is proudly participating in. 

• The distinction showcases the exceptional character and richness of Catalonia’s food, agricultural, and culinary heritage, consolidating the region as an international reference. Furthermore, the award emphasizes Catalonia’s innovative spirit, drawing a line between its food heritage and values such as sustainability, quality, and social cohesion. In other words, Catalan gastronomy is inextricably linked to the region’s cultural identity.
• Within the context of this year-long event, September will shine a spotlight on southernmost Catalonia, areas nourished by the Ebro Delta, where rice cultivation not only drives the local economy, but their culture and way of life.  

Familia Torres takes this opportunity to propose two rice-inspired pairing suggestions to celebrate the excellence of a product that is as exquisite as it is essential – and incredibly versatile, both culinarily speaking and in the variety of different wines that can be enjoyed in combination. 

A freshly prepared Delta rice dish

The Delta Rice Dishes

• The rice that originates from the Ebro Delta has its own Protected Designation of Origin issued by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries of the Generalitat, the Catalan government. It was also granted a Specific Denomination by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, which is recognized by the EU.
• The geographical, hydrological, and climatic conditions of the Ebro River delta endow the place with distinctive characteristics that set it apart from other rice-growing areas, responsible for the special and distinctive quality of its star product.
• The cultivation areas mainly comprise the municipalities of Deltebre and San Jaume, as well as parts of the villages of l’Ampolla, Amposta, Camarles, and San Carles de la Ràpita. The rice that can be sold under this designation comprises different varieties, with Bahía being the most common. Other varieties include Tebre, Sènia, Fonsa, Bomba, and Montsianell.

Familia Torres’s Pairing Suggestions

• Sometimes a dish and a glass can capture an entire country. A journey from the Delta to Priorat; from the Delta to Penedès. Let’s travel across Catalonia to unite two worlds born to be grasped as one; two wine and food pairings that give tangible expression to the excellence we offer.

Creamy Veggie Rice and Forcada (DO Penedès)

• Rediscovered in the northwestern part of the Penedès appellation of origin, in the foothills of the Roca Forcada mountain near Vall de Bianya, Forcada is among the tangible results of Familia Torres’s project to recover ancestral varieties, initiated more than 30 years ago. 

The Forcada variety growing in Familia Torres vineyards 

• Grown at 450 metres, far from any maritime influence, Forcada is surprising in its aromatic intensity and high-altitude freshness. Notes of herbs plunge us into visions of Mediterranean woodland while echoes of white flowers and a whisper of citrus seduce the palate, carried by lively, nervy acidity that forms the backbone of the variety’s structure and essence.  

Forcada (DO Penedès) paired with a veggie Delta rice dish

Forcada’s organoleptic characteristics include a clean, crisp palate that complements the creaminess of the dish while bringing out its vegetable nuances, inviting us to a simultaneous experience of contrasts and similarities.  

Rice with Muscovy duck from Penedès and Salmos Vi de Vila (DOQ Priorat)

• The Muscovy duck – called ànec mut in Catalan – has been raised in rural areas of Alt and Baix Penedès since the 16th century, especially around Vilafranca del Penedès. Along with the Penedès cockerel, the Muscovy duck has seen a resurgence in numbers and popularity, primarily because its meat is leaner than that of other duck species. 
• It produces high-quality meat that contains less fat and has very thin skin. Muscovy duck meat is also firmer and darker than that of other ducks, making it a very popular choice with restaurateurs in the area.

Although the traditional recipe with pinenuts and plums usually calls for a young red, the addition of rice invites greater versatility. Here the characteristics of this kind of duck find an unwavering ally in Salmos Vi de Vila and its blend of Garnacha and Cariñena.

Penedès Muscovy duck paired with Salmos, DOQ Priorat, a Familia Torres property 

Few foods are as versatile as rice, opening a panoply of possibilities to forge alliances with different kinds of wine that display a well-defined identity. Join us in celebrating products from a place with a sustainable wine and food culture whose international reach is unstoppable.