Familia Torres has achieved outstanding success at the Vinari Awards with its Grans Muralles 2020 being honoured as the Best Wine in Catalonia for 2025. The Vinari Awards, established in 2013, are widely regarded as the most prestigious wine competition in Catalonia, recognising excellence and innovation among the region’s producers. This distinguished red from Conca de Barberà not only secured the top prize but also received the Grand Gold in the aged red wine category at the thirteenth edition of the awards, which saw a record 912 entries, all blind-tasted by a panel of professionals.
Grans Muralles 2020 is crafted from grapes grown in a vineyard that was planted over thirty years ago, nestled at the base of the medieval wall that historically shielded the Poblet Monastery in periods of unrest. It represents the first milestone in Familia Torres’s project to recover ancestral grape varieties, a journey that began in the 1980s to rediscover Catalonia’s viticultural heritage prior to the phylloxera outbreak. From its inception, the wine was envisioned as a blend of native grapes, with the ancient Garró variety introduced in the inaugural 1996 vintage and Querol added from 2009.
Today, Grans Muralles is crafted from five varieties –Cariñena, Garnacha, Querol, Monastrell, and Garró – all thriving in deep, stony slate soils that impart a unique character to this complex and emblematic wine. The 2020 vintage was notably cool, lending the wine remarkable tension and elegance. Grans Muralles is among the five most exclusive wines produced by Familia Torres, forming part of the prestigious Antología Miguel Torres collection.
Mireia Torres, Director of Innovation and Knowledge at Familia Torres and a fifth-generation family member, underscored the wine’s significance as a testament to the family’s commitment to Catalan winemaking during the Vinari Awards ceremony, held on Friday, 3 October, in Vilafranca del Penedès.
“Grans Muralles holds special meaning for us, as it was the first wine to emerge from our ancestral variety recovery project initiated by my father. The fifth generation continues to champion this initiative, seeking out forgotten grapes that may help us address the challenges of climate change,” said Mireia Torres. She added, “I would like to extend my gratitude to oenologist Albert Llopart, to Montse Torres who leads the project, and to the entire team for their dedication and hard work in bringing this wine to life.”
This marks the second occasion that a Familia Torres wine has been awarded the title of best wine in Catalonia, the first being in 2021 when Purgatori 2017 (DO Costers del Segre) received the honour.
About the Vinari Awards
Founded in 2013, the Vinari Awards have become the most respected wine competition in Catalonia, celebrating the diversity and quality of Catalan wines. Judged by a panel of industry professionals, the awards are considered a benchmark for excellence in the region and are highly regarded among local producers and wine experts.
