Xarel·lo: From Cava workhorse to white wine thoroughbred

Like many Mediterranean countries, Spain tends to eschew international grape varieties in favour of its vast wealth of indigenous plantings. Precise numbers are hard to pin down across its many regions, but Spain’s register of commercial vine varieties ( Colección de Variedades de Vid ) near Madrid records some 235 distinct varieties planted, of which about 15 are table grapes. According to the most recent data from OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine), 88% of total production comes from a mere 20 varieties, with Tempranillo and Airén together accounting for more than 40% of total plantings – much Airén is destined for the production of Brandy de Jerez in the far south. Scroll down to see Fintan Kerr’s selection of 10 excellent Xarel·lo still whites to try However, it’s so often true that some of the grapes flying beneath the radar offer a more detailed glimpse into the individuality of Spain and its varied regions – in some cases offering extraordinary value in the process. One of the best examples of this is the white grape Xarel·lo. [subscriber-content]Native to Catalonia on Spain’s northeast coast, Xarel·lo is best known for its role in Cava production, contributing much of the natural acidity, structure and crisp, green and subtly herbal flavours to Cava wines. Indeed, many of the greatest producers of sparkling wines in Catalonia are focusing on Xarel·lo as the flagship grape of their top cuvées. Yet despite this, according to DO Catalunya figures, in 2023 just 7,100ha of Xarel·lo was being grown in the Catalonia region, accounting for a mere 0.73% of Spain’s total plantings. The grape is found all across Catalonia in a variety of regions and microclimates: to the north of Barcelona in the tiny Alella DO, it’s known as Pansa Blanca, while in Tarragona to the south it’s called Cartoixà. Beyond the region, too, the variety is performing well on the island of Mallorca, where it’s known as Premsal Blanc. Perfect for Penedes [caption id="attachment_521861" align="alignnone" width="1300"] Enric Soler with a selection of his Xarel·lo wines[/caption] Every grape seems to find a spiritual home, however, and it would be hard to deny that the Penedès region is exactly that for Xarel·lo. As Roc Gramona of L’Enclòs de Peralba explains: ‘Xarel·lo is the only variety that truly tells the story of all the sub-regions of the Penedès. It’s a subtle grape that is easy to grow, yet hard to master.’ Penedès is split into three major sub-regions that can be thought of as a series of steps coming out of the Mediterranean sea. Baix Penedès is the lowest and warmest of them, situated around the town of El Vendrell; Central Penedès is a broad valley at around 490m above sea level; and Alt Penedès is at the top of these steps around the town of Vilafranca de Penedès, with vineyards planted up to 800m above sea level. While the region has a broadly Mediterranean climate, soil types and temperatures vary greatly. Central Penedès is the Cava production heartland and, as a result, a high percentage of Xarel·lo plantings can be found here; Alt Penedès is responsible for the most delicate of white wines, while Baix Penedès is the centre for red wine production. Yet Xarel·lo is to be found in all three zones. ‘The variety expresses itself very well in different soils,’ remarks Enric Soler, one of the most acclaimed grower-producers in the region. ‘Whether it’s a good or a bad year, Xarel·lo is always there. There can be differences in quantity, but the quality is always there.’ Indeed, it offers many advantages in the vineyard: in addition to performing well in a variety of soils, it ripens at a good time (neither too early nor too late in the season) and produces healthy, evenly formed bunches, while only occasionally suffering from poor fruit set or susceptibility to downy or powdery mildew. Yet for all the vines that are planted across the Penedès region, only a fraction of their grapes are intended for still wine production. ‘Most Xarel·lo is destined for Cava,’ observes Marta Casas of Parés Baltà. ‘Only a handful of producers are betting on it for still wine production.’ For those who are, it’s no understatement to say that they’re making some of the most vivid, exciting wine in the country. Distinctive wines [caption id="attachment_521860" align="alignnone" width="1300"] Joan Rubió, Cal Tiques[/caption] At its simplest, Xarel·lo has a signature character of fresh, crunchy green apples, bright lemon and fresh herbs. Yet lower yields bring out a remarkable depth of aroma and flavour, often with a distinctive fennel note, and pronounced acidity. Many producers ferment the wines in oak or experiment with lees ageing. Some, as in the case of Can Ràfols dels Caus, have also had great success with ageing in alternative vessels, such as chestnut barrels. Stylistically, a great variety of wines is produced at very high quality levels across the region. Enric Soler started his own production in 2004, beginning with a single hectare of vines that his grandfather had planted in 1945. His production has slowly expanded and now comes from 2ha of biodynamically farmed vines, with 8,000 bottles produced across four wines. There are no adjustments made in the winery. Spontaneous fermentations are preferred and fermentations take place in a variety of vessels: large barrels, barriques and concrete eggs. Precision is the goal here and the wines embody exactly that, with their chiselled acidity and exceptional length. ‘The acidity is subtle but persistent,’ says Soler, ‘so it’s no surprise that the wines age so well.’ It’s also no surprise that these wines are so hard to find and have developed such a cult following across the world. The real attraction of Xarel·lo in the fine wine world may just be its ability to transmit a sense of place. ‘Xarel·lo is a blank page,’ says Joan Rubió of Cal Tiques. ‘It’s different every year.’ Born and raised in Penedès, Rubio was the technical director of Corpinnat producer Recaredo for 13 years, where Xarel·lo takes centre-stage in the top wines. In 2015, he founded Cal Tiques, based on the family holdings where he first learned his trade. ‘I simply love this grape,’ he states. ‘It has structure, acidity, flavour and a unique personality. What more can we want?’ Rubió’s range of wines, the majority of which are differing expressions of Xarel·lo, focuses heavily on skin contact, extracting an extra dimension of flavour and texture from Xarel·lo’s naturally thick skins. Despite this, he doesn’t see them as orange wines and they certainly don’t have the darker hue you’d associate with extended skin contact. ‘I try to leave the skins in contact for eight, 10, sometimes even 15 days,’ he explains. ‘So much of the wines’ character is in the skins.’ His wines are aromatically engaging and deliciously wild, yet they never lose their freshness. Rubió also celebrates Xarel·lo’s resistance to the increasingly warm summers – though he does add that new vineyards are now almost exclusively being planted above 400m, in the Alt Penedès. Transmitting terroir [caption id="attachment_521857" align="alignnone" width="1300"] Roc Gramona (left) with cousin Leo, L’Enclòs de Peralba[/caption] With its malleable nature, bright acidity and capacity to be expressive of site, Xarel·lo is increasingly being seen by many in the region and beyond as a Catalan equivalent to white Burgundy. At L’Enclòs de Peralba, Roc and his cousin Leo Gramona agree with this comparison. ‘Burgundy has a similar format: the use of grapes with a neutral character that are excellent at transmitting terroir. That’s exactly what we see with Xarel·lo,’ suggests Roc. ‘We look for transparency, tension and texture.’ Roc and Leo Gramona are part of the influential Gramona sparkling wine family, but through their own project begun in 2017 they are focusing on still Xarel·lo wines from the heights of Alt Penedès. They work with small, old-vine parcels owned by experienced growers in the region, ensuring that the vines are not replanted but are instead nurtured and vinified. Many come from the chalky limestone soils dotted around this high-altitude sub-region. Further up the coast lies Alella, one of Spain’s smallest wine regions with only seven wineries to its name. The main focus here is Pansa Blanca, the local name for Xarel·lo (there is no genetic difference). ‘Our sauló soil, fine and sandy, is key for the production of Pansa Blanca,’ explains Mireia Pujol-Busquets, owner of the renowned Alta Alella winery. ‘It’s an acidic soil that creates an important point of difference with the wines from the Penedès. That, and we are barely 1.5km from the Mediterranean sea!’ Like producers in the Penedès, Pujol-Busquets believes Pansa Blanca is the ideal grape for expressing the local terroir – or terruño as it’s known in Spanish. ‘The ideal Pansa Blanca is slightly saline and savoury, and retains its trademark acidity, even in warm years,’ she adds. Steady development [caption id="attachment_521859" align="alignnone" width="1300"] From left: winemakers María Elena Jiménez and Marta Casas, Parés Baltà[/caption] Given its natural strengths, it’s perhaps surprising that the uptake for Xarel·lo in still wine production has been so recent. Many of its leading proponents only began to make still wine from the grape in the last 20 years. But Xarel·lo can be ‘a reference point for DO Penedès’, believes Casas at Parés Baltà. ‘Penedès has a long history and a problem of identity,’ she explains. ‘As a region, we’ve produced high volumes of inexpensive wine in the past, but we believe that quality is where the future lies.’ 'Electio', the winery’s superb flagship Xarel·lo sourced from vineyards almost a century old, was first produced as recently as 2003, giving credence to the notion that the variety has gained momentum in the last two decades. Despite the small number and size of bodegas involved in still Xarel·lo production, Parés Baltà is a good example of what can be achieved when the raw ingredients are handled by winemakers with understanding and ambition. With vineyards maturing and an exciting new generation of talent hitting its stride, the future appears to be bright for this underestimated variety. Alongside the many exciting recent projects, stalwarts such as Bodegas Loxarel, Pardas and Can Ràfols dels Caus continue to produce superb Xarel·lo in a variety of different styles. It speaks volumes that top sparkling wine producers such as Recaredo and Gramona have independently created separate projects to focus on Xarel·lo: Celler Credo and Mas Escorpí, respectively. Their wines are already being well received. Casas perhaps says it best: ‘I believe this is a slow but steady evolution. More will invest in producing these still wines from the best plots – it’s already begun and the best is yet to come.’ [/subscriber-content] Kerr’s selection: 10 excellent Xarel·lo still whites [wine-collection] Related articles Albariño: Panel tasting results Galician whites: Panel tasting results Sarah Jane Evans MW: My top 10 Spanish wines of 2023

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Xarel·lo: From Cava workhorse to white wine thoroughbred

Scroll down to see Fintan Kerr’s selection of 10 excellent Xarel·lo still whites to try

Kerr’s selection: 10 excellent Xarel·lo still whites

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