Beverage
Xarel-lo
Xarel·lo is a Catalan white central to Cava blends and increasingly bottled as a still dry wine with citrus, fennel, green apple, and a firm, slightly earthy structure. In Penedès it brings body and ageing capacity to sparkling base wine; as a still variety it can show Mediterranean herb and a chalky grip, sometimes with skin contact or amphora experiments from modern growers. Acid is solid; alcohol moderate when yields are controlled. Oak is optional and usually light. Still Xarel·lo pairs with grilled fish, vegetable rice dishes, Iberian cured meats of mild intensity, and Catalan tomato bread. Use in seafood stews or light reductions where fennel-citrus notes suit Mediterranean cooking. Sparkling Cava made with Xarel·lo is better for aperitivo than long pan work.
Also known as: Xarel·lo
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Catalan vineyards established Xarel·lo among the core grapes of Penedès white and sparkling wine.
Early Cava production fixed Xarel·lo as a structural grape beside Macabeo and Parellada.
Still single-varietal Xarel·lo gained attention from quality-focused Catalan estates.