Xarel-lo from Penedes: A Hard Read in Many Ways...

I guess I'm obsessed with "x" themes these past two weeks. Last week it was Bordeaux and this week, it's a crazy-ass grape that is rarely made as a standalone wine -- Xarel-lo.

First things first -- how the hell do you SAY that? There are two ways to go on this. You can say it in the native Catalan language and call it "shah-REHL-lo" or you could do it the Spanish way and call it "hah-REHL-lo." If you do it the second way, try to channel my (long deceased) Yiddish speaking relatives and get a little phlegm roused when you say the "ha" part so it's kind of like clearing your throat and saying the syllables at the same time. Practice a little to get it right. If that doesn't work, channel Scooby Doo and try to say "hello" -- it's kind of like "Heerrro," except with an 'el' sound before the o.

Now that you can expertly pronounce it I guess I should tell you what it is. I'll start with a hint. Have you heard of Cava? Maybe you've seen the black bottle of Freixenet that's $12.99 (a pretty good deal if you ask me) that looks like a Champagne bottle? It's Spanish sparkling wine.

Cava, named for the caves that the wine aged in, is fabulous. It's like really inexpensive, high quality Champagne, because it uses the same production techniques but has a twist because rather than the French Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier (the Champagne blend) it uses native grapes.

What does this have to do with Xarel-lo? It's one of the three grapes used in Cava, along with Parallada and Macabeu. Less sexy than its blending partners, the grape produces wine that is aromatic but wickedly acidic and is not known to be as delicate and palatable as its blending partners in Cava. It's used for a punch and a backbone.

Xarel-lo is the 6th most important grape in Spain and is native to the Catalonia region in the northeast. Most of the crop goes directly into Cava. It's the flagship grape of Penedes, a smaller area inside of the Catalonia area and a predominantly white wine region (although it makes great oaked reds, sparklers, and pink wine). The area is nestled between the coast and the interior plains on Spain's east coast. It's mild and warm -- benefiting from the Mediterranean sun and the coastal breezes. The area has an ideal climate for grape-growing.

So it's clear that Xarel-lo is essential in northeastern Spain, but to me it's always seemed like its most important role is a supporting one in Cava. Given that, I was surprised when a friend who represents the Albet i Noya brand gave me a bottle to try (there's my disclosure, but you know I'll be honest!). I'm always open to trying new stuff and have tried Macabeu bottled by itself with good results, but this was very outside the box.

Just as an aside though, before I get into the wine, a note on Albet i Noya, because they are not run of the mill. They farm on land that's had some form of viticulture since the middle ages, so this is not a new fangled venture. The family has tended the vineyards since 1903, and through hard work and saving, bought the land in 1986. It's a family operation all the way, making Cava and all sorts of still wines from native varieties to French ones to blends of the two. They seem very experimental and cutting edge when you look at their diverse selection (which left me thinking, it could be great or really out there, FYI). Regardless, they get huge props from me for organic farming and for making wine in a true organic way, without the addition of sulfur dioxide. Great effort and homage to Mother Nature!

Ok, so on to answering the burning question: "I know how to pronounce it, I know where it's from and I know about the producer, now what the hell (or should I spell it Xell?) does Xarel-lo taste like?..."

The Wine: Albet i Noya Xarel-lo (BTW - no "r" in Albet)
Where It's From: Penedes, Spain
The Grape: Xarel-lo
Vintage: 2009
Price: $14.99

Color: The wine looked light to me -- almost Pinot Grigio-esque in color. It's kind of like a bale of hay. Nothing stood out -- no big legs, no green flecks, no dark yellow to indicate oak or sugar or age...I wasn't expecting big flavor.

Smell: This is not an easy wine, meaning it's hard to get your finger on it even just when you you smell it. At first I pigeon-holed it -- the wine smelled like green plants or a green house, maybe even like a cucumber in salt water (oh, I guess that's technically a pickle, but it didn't smell pickle-y for the record). I thought -- "Ok, kind of like a bitter Gruner Veltliner" (which is a grape from Austria that is also kind of hard to get your head around). But I was wrong with my initial assessment. With more swirling around the glass and more time, there was this delicious white flower smell and then something like a buttery croissant. I kind of marveled at the inconsistency.

Taste: More surprise here that completely mirrored my experience with the smell. The first impression of this wine was more texture than flavor -- it was tart, bitter, and acidic...but simultaneously creamy and buttery. Total extremes all in one glass. The flavors were lemony and a bit like apricot. On the third or fourth sip I realized that it reminded me of lemon curd, this expensive, creamy stuff that my mom used to buy to put on hot biscuits. The end note was very soft and creamy. I felt a little tired by the time I got to the bottom of the glass, just thinking about the wine.

Food Pairings: This was not a "drink the bottle in a night" wine. Thankfully, it's got a screw cap, so it stayed fresh for 2. The first night I sipped it with nothing -- bad move. The second night I had it with brie and crackers -- much better move. Like many European wines, this is not a casual sipper. You need some light fare -- cheese, light pastas, salads, flaky white fish, or vegetarian appetizers to make this wine shine.

Drink or Down the Sink?: It's a mixed bag. If you don't like bitter in your white, I'd stay away. If you are a brooding, analytical type -- break this down and sit with it. If you're having a lighter meal, I'd say this would be good company. As for me, I'd only buy a bottle if I were serving a nice summer meal, and I'd order it by the glass in a restaurant bu, sadly, it's not going on the list of favorite little-known wines.