Wine Regions: DO Alella

Being #1 just doesn’t mean the same thing it used to anymore…

Alella, located just north of Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast, is one of Spains smallest wine producing regions. Despite a rich wine producing history stretching all the way back to the Roman empire and with local wines served to the medieval kings of Aragon, Alella is now but a shadow of it’s former self. With over 50% of it’s lower altitude vineyards falling prey to urban development, Alella is more becoming more popularly known for prestigious housing for well-off commuters than for it’s quality wine production, despite a recent effort to re-expand (with some success: from 314ha to 560ha). Alella was established as a Denominacion de Origen in 1956, having survived both phylloxera and two world wars, spear-headed by the relatively new concept of co-operative wineries, in this case Alella Vinicola, still the largest producer in the region.

Tips for business: You can be the biggest, the best or the cheapest. Whatever you decide to do, it helps to build an enormous production facility on the only road into and out of town.

Not everything is doom and gloom, however. Modern day production is both sizeable, locally important and of a high quality. Geographically Alella is quite diverse, surprising given it’s relatively small size. Despite differing climates, styles and grape varieties, the one uniting factor here is the sauló top-soil; a porous, sandy white soil that retains heat exceptionally well, contributing to ripe gripes and quality wine production.

Saulo topsoil underneath these vines in the Valles region of Alella. Whilst the wineries are easily accessible by foot; as you can see this can be quite arduous in the hot summers of Barcelona on some of the steeper slopes.

There are essentially three different zones, rising out of the Mediterranean sea and up the slopes into the Serra de Parpers foothills:

1. Coastal region: On the flat coastal region and the bottom of the foothills, around 50–90 metres in altitude, this region is mainly planted with white grenache. These grapes form the basis of a lot of the regions basic white wines and can also be used in limited sweet wine production. Temperatures are moderated by sea breezes, although humidity is a major factor here.
2. “The Old” region: Mid-way up the hillsides, around 90–150 metres, lies the majority of the oldest vineyards in Alella. Grown over granite bedrock, these vineyards compose the majority of the grapes grown for production including significant plants of the signature Pansa Blanca (Xarel.lo), Grenache and Tempranillo. These vineyards are still quite Mediterranean in climate, with some cover from the cooler winds due to the surrounding hills.
3. The Valles region: This is the highest and coolest climate within Alella, with altitudes of 160–260 metres. The majority of the plantings here are Pansa Blanca but with interspersed plantings of international and experimental varieties, including: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Chenin Blanc, Viognier and Cabernet Sauvignon. Interestingly, this area is grown over schist-limestone, a factor in almost all top quality vineyards across Europe, which then disappears and resurfaces hundreds of kilometres away in Ribera del Duero.

Alella has made semi-sweet white wine for nearly all of it’s history, up until the 1970s. Now the signature style is a fresh, dry and light white wine made from Pansa Blanca, intended to be drank young and rarely oaked: The acidity is usually medium to medium+ with ripe stone fruits, green apples and citrus notes, supported by a smooth body and between 12.5% and 13.5% alcohol. There is a small quantity of both rosé and red wines, with the latter being of surprisingly good quality in some wineries. A more significant trend in recent years is the rise of cava production in the area, with most wineries producing a significant amount in addition to their white wines. Biodynamic practices are not as widely practiced as in the Penedès region but more and more wineries are adopting this long term approach to viticulture, including the regions first significant natural wine production at Alta Alella.

The beautiful view from Alta Alella and probably the most over-used picture in Catalan enotourism; if you find a tour guide, chances are this picture is on their website. It is lovely, though.

Purchasing wines from Alella is difficult internationally — nearly all of the wines are consumed locally in Catalunya. Prices range from 5–20 euros a bottle for the white wines and roughly the same for the reds, with a few experimental or single estate wines the only exceptions. Should you happen to be in Barcelona, Alella presents some wonderful opportunities for cheap eno-tourism. Local buses run consistently throughout the week for 3 euros a trip, with most wineries a short walk from the central bus stop. From 5 to 15 euros a winery trip and a variety of local restaurants in an idyllic and prosperous Catalan town, there are certainly worse options for your holiday and best of all, there is really no need to book a tour guide so long as you plan ahead. Below are a few of the regions most celebrated wineries with a short description of their production. Cheers!

Viticulture here is being engineered to cut down production costs. Vines that produce wine already fully fermented, fined, filtered and bottled are all the rage at the moment.

Alella Vinicola: Founded in 1906 as a co-operative and only recently turned into a limited company, Alella Vinicola is the largest winery in the region. Responsible for modernising the wine-making practices of the region in the 20th century, it now produces a respectable portfolio of white, red and sweet wines. Marfil Blanc is the signature wine but their ‘Ivori’ red blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon is outstanding value for money at 14 euros a bottle.

Alta Alella: A relative new-comer to Alella, with the first vineyards planted in 1991. Offering a huge portfolio of wines, including the new range of natural wines, Alta Alella is the most modern and dynamic winery in the area. Enotourism is well managed and with two of their wines making it onto wine lists in respected Michelin starred restaurants, Alta Alella is putting the region back on the map. Look out for Dolc Mataro, their sweet 100% monastrell wine, macerated for 6 months and truly superb.

Marques D’Alella: Owned by the Raventos family and sister to Parxet cava in the same region, Marques D’Alella focuses almost exclusively on quality white wine production. With a portfolio mainly consisting of Pansa Blanca in different forms, the winery almost produces some exciting experimental wines, including a pleasant Chardonnay and some top quality cava. Their top wine is Galactica, a Xarel.lo fermented in 4 different vessels before blending, and well worth a try. (Note: I actually worked here during the summer of 2015 — lovely group of people but sadly not open to tours)

Bouquet D’Alella: A very new project starting in 2010 with a brother and sister team with the motto “live tradition, experience innovation.” Only 13 hectares in size and with a small production of 5–6 wines, the modern evolution of Bouquet D’Alella is worth keeping an eye on. Offering quality winery visits and only organic products, this is truly a modern winery in a normally quite traditional area.

Wine Cuentista: The literal translation is ‘Wine story-teller’. We run high quality wine tastings in central Barcelona, Borne area, with the intention of tasting and learning about high quality Spanish and Catalan wines in a relaxed atmosphere — perfect for a fun evening out in Barcelona! If you would like to get in touch or see our services, check out the website here:winecuentista.com Thanks!