Castillo Perelada is a family owned group run by Javier Suqué. Based in Empurdán, they produced sparkling wine for many years and were involved with a dispute with the champenois over the use of the term champagne in the 1960s which led to the formation of the Cava DO. They extended cava production in 1979 with the purchase of Olivella Ferrari in Vilafranca del Penedés, a highly regarded quality winery. The winery was modernised and enlarged in 1990 and now has an annual capacity of three and a half million bottles making it one of the major cava producers. Production of still wines is still centred on Empurdán. Macabeo and Xarel-lo are used for the whites, the rosé is from Garnacha, Monastrell and Pinot Noir with twelve months ageing on the lees.