Vinicola Nulles Adenats
Alt Camp, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
Vinícola de Nulles is a cooperative winery in Catalonia, founded in 1917 when local grape growers joined forces to rebuild their livelihoods after the devastation of phylloxera. Its home is a striking Modernist building designed by Cèsar Martinell, a celebrated architect associated with Catalonia’s wine cooperatives. Known locally as the Catedral del Vi, or Wine Cathedral, it remains an active winery more than a century after its construction.
The cooperative represents almost 100 growers working around 400 hectares of vineyards. Many vines are traditionally bush-trained, with some older plantings more than 80 years old. The vineyards benefit from a warm Mediterranean climate, with the nearby sea helping preserve freshness in the grapes. Clay and limestone soils contribute concentration and structure, particularly in the region’s white varieties.
Its wines are bottled under the Adernats name, a range established in 1987. Local grapes take centre stage, particularly Macabeu, Xarel·lo and Moscatell, alongside Parellada and Chardonnay. The winery also produces reds from Ull de Llebre, known elsewhere as Tempranillo, and Merlot. Its portfolio includes still wines, ancestral-method sparkling wines and traditional bottle-fermented Cava.
The sparkling wines are particularly worth exploring. Adernats makes Reserva and Gran Reserva Cava, including organic bottlings made from the classic Catalan varieties Macabeu, Xarel·lo and Parellada. Extended ageing brings creamy texture and notes of citrus, green apple, fennel, pastry and nuts, while the wines retain the freshness associated with their Mediterranean origins.
Vinícola de Nulles brings together cooperative winemaking, local grape varieties and a remarkable piece of Catalan architectural history. The emphasis is on making wines that reflect the surrounding vineyards rather than chasing international trends. For anyone interested in Spanish sparkling wine beyond the biggest Cava names, Adernats offers a direct connection to the growers, landscape and traditions of the Tarragona region.
