September 11th, 2007
What’s “Wine Blogging Wednesdays†you ask? It’s a monthly virtual wine tasting event, started by Lenn Thompson at Lenndevours in 2004. A wine blogger is selected to “host†the event by choosing a certain theme of wine to taste on a given Wednesday of the month. Some past themes have been “Let’s Get Naked (unoaked Chardonnay)â€, “Non-Us, New World Merlotâ€, “New World Riesling†etc. The possibilities are endless. All of us wine blogging geeks get involved and taste a wine that fits the theme, then post about it.
This week I’m venturing into Wine Blogging Wednesdays for the first time, and I’m really excited about it. The theme, put on by DrVino is “Go Native.†Participants were asked to taste a wine made from an indigenous grape variety, other than the big six in France (Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir). Our quest was to taste the radically obscure.
I found a really neat Albet i Noya Xarel-lo 2006 from Penedes at September Wine and Spirits, on the Lower East Side. Not only is this wine made from the Xarel-lo (pronounced sah-REHL-loh) grape, indigeneous to Spain, it also happens to be organic. Xarel-lo is most often used to make sparkling wines (Cava) so I found this still example to be really unique. I’m forgetting the exact price but it was under $15 and turned out to be quite rewarding. It has crisp notes of citrus and apple on the nose with hints of peach. It has bright acidity and a slight effervescence. It clocks in at only 12.5% alcohol, which is refreshing given the direction that many wines have been headed these days. This wine isn’t complex but it’s pleasant, a nice wine for an evening at home. I could really see myself enjoying this wine alongside some sautéed shrimp or calamari.
Related Posts:
Wine Blogging Wednesdays #39: Silver BurgundyWine Blogging Wednesday#38: Portuguese Table WinesWine Blogging Wednesday #49: Toast the End of Bush
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Hey there, nice to see a Spanish Varietal in the mix. Here’s our take on the same wine from last year: http://catavino.net/2007/03/20/xarello-classic-2006-bodega-albet-i-noya/
I agree on the see food angle, but would also include mild soft cheeses, with marinated veggies as a favorite pairing! Cheers,
Thanks Ryan. Great to hear that we had similar opinions on this wine. I’m surprised at the chicken gyros pairing that you mention in your post. Did you find the wine strong enough to hold up to the yogurt sauce and the avocado tomato salsa? At first glance, it sounds like it would be overpowered by the food. I imagined it needed something more delicate.
If I remember right it was the acidity that cut through the sauce that sealed the deal. Also as with many lighter whites, this probably had a bit more body a few months ago, and less travel abuse. Heck the winery is less than an 1/2 hour from here!
Cheers,
I bet it was the acidity, good call. It’s a super crisp wine.
I tasted this one a month or two ago and I really liked it. Found it to be a nice “summer wine” because, like you said, it is very crisp. Great pick!
Hey there! I had xarel’lo, too! Mine was blended with macabeo and parellada–who knew there were 3 native grapes in cava! Yours sounds good. will have to look for the single varietal bottlings.
[...] Erika Strum tastes a still xarel.lo, a component of cava, from Alert i Noya [StrumErika] [...]
[...] of, Aligote happens to be the fourth most commonly planted grape in the world. Oddly similar to my first WBW in which I chose a still Xarel-Lo wine (typically used for Cava), Aligote is more commonly made as [...]