white grape · regional staple
Xarel·lo
Penedès, Catalonia, Spain
Say it
sha·rel·oh
Catalan X = 'sh'; the interpunct (·l) marks a geminated L. English sommeliers often say 'cha-REL-oh' — the correct Catalan onset is 'sha-'.
On the palate
Body
medium
Acidity
high
Aromatics
medium
lemonwhite peachapricotpearfennelalmond
How you spot it blind: saline finish with bitter-almond and aniseed lift
The story
First written down · 1785, Sitges, Penedès — named 'Xerello' in a property lease contract
First named 'Xerello' in an 1785 Sitges lease; DNA analysis (Lacombe et al. 2013) confirmed it is a full sibling of Macabeu, both offspring of Hebén × Brustiano Faux.
Family tree: GIBI × BRUSTIANO FAUX
Where it lives
Penedès DO (Catalonia) · Alella DO (as Pansa Blanca) · Tarragona DO · Mallorca (as Premsal Blanc / Moll)
Shows up as
still whitesparklingroséorange
If you like this, try
Also answers to Xarello, Xarel-lo, Charelo, Pansa Blanca.
Shop our Xarel·lo bottles