Wine bars and vermouth
Catalonia is a serious wine region and Barcelona drinks it seriously: from old vermouth barrels to bars that pour Priorat and Montsant by the glass with cheese and conservas.
The vermouth barrel
Vermut de grifo — from the tap — with orange, olive and sifón is the city's aperitif. The classic bodegas keep their own recipes; an afternoon bar-hop between two of them is a perfect plan.
Wine by the glass
A new generation of wine bars pours small Catalan producers alongside the big names, often with a food menu built on tins and cheese. Look for blackboards with vintages, not cocktail lists.
Cava beyond the stereotype
Beyond the big brands there is a world of farmhouse cava and ancestral-method wines from the Penedès. Bars that distinguish them on the list are the ones that care.