Alella is a Spanish

Denominación de Origen In Spain and Latin America, the (; )In other languages of Spain: * Catalan: (). * (). * (). is part of a regulatory geographical indication system used primarily for foodstuffs such as cheeses, condiments, honey, and meats, among others. ...

(DO) (''Denominació d'Origen'' in Catalan) for wines produced in

Maresme Maresme () is a ''comarca'' (county) in the Barcelona region in Catalonia, located along the Mediterranean coast, between the ''comarques'' of Barcelonès (at the Southwest) and Selva (at the Northeast), and also bordering with Vallès Oriental ...

county in the province of

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

in the

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

autonomous communities The autonomous communities () are the first-level administrative divisions of Spain, created in accordance with the Spanish Constitution of 1978, with the aim of guaranteeing limited autonomy to the nationalities and regions that make up Spa ...

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, located on the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

coast, 15 km to the north of the city of

. It is one of the smallest DOs in Spain as the vineyards have been encroached upon by urban development. At the present time it only covers one third of the area that it covered in 1956 when it was established,http://www.gencat.cat/diari/4585/06045138.htm (in Catalan) despite a territorial extension in 1989.

History

Wines have been produced in this area since the time of the

ancient Romans The Roman people was the ethnicity and the body of Roman citizenship, Roman citizens (; ) during the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire. This concept underwent considerable changes throughout the long history of the Roman ...

, and were mentioned by

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...

in his ''

Naturalis Historia The ''Natural History'' () is a Latin work by Pliny the Elder. The largest single work to have survived from the Roman Empire to the modern day, the ''Natural History'' compiles information gleaned from other ancient authors. Despite the work' ...

'' and by

Martial Marcus Valerius Martialis (known in English as Martial ; March, between 38 and 41 AD – between 102 and 104 AD) was a Roman and Celtiberian poet born in Bilbilis, Hispania (modern Spain) best known for his twelve books of '' Epigrams'', pu ...

in his ''

Epigrams An epigram is a brief, interesting, memorable, sometimes surprising or satirical statement. The word derives from the Greek (, "inscription", from [], "to write on, to inscribe"). This literary device has been practiced for over two millennia. ...

'', when they were known as ''vins laietans''. Structures have been found at the archaeological site of Veral de Vallmora, near

Teià Teià () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. Twin towns * Massarosa Massarosa is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Lucca, Tuscany, Italy. The city is near Lucca and Pisa. The city hosts Massarosa ...

, showing that wine was made there from the 1st to 4th centuries AD. During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

Alella wine was served at the court of the Kings of

Aragón Aragon ( , ; Spanish and ; ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to south): Huesca, Zaragoza, a ...

. The region suffered the effects of the

phylloxera Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. Grape phylloxera (''Daktulosphaira vitifoliae'' (Fitch 1855) belongs to the family Phylloxeridae, within the order Hemiptera, bugs); orig ...

virus at the end of the 19th century but the vineyards were successfully replanted using phylloxera resistant

rootstock A rootstock is part of a plant, often an underground part, from which new above-ground growth can be produced. It could also be described as a stem with a well developed root system, to which a bud from another plant is grafted. It can refer to ...

from the

New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...

. In 1906 the wine cooperative, Alella Vinícola, was founded which is renowned for its traditional Marfil brand. The wine cellars were designed by the modernist architect Jeroni Martorell i Terrats. During the 1920s the region was famous for its cava (sparkling wine). During the 1980s new varieties were introduced and the wine-making methods modernized. The wineries are urban mansions that are built on the slopes overlooking the sea. The height above sea level of the vineyards determines the variety grown and thus the type of wine produced.

Geography

The vineyards grow on the Serra de Parpers foothills, from the coast up the slopes of the mountains. The Besòs river forms the western boundary. There are two distinct areas within the DO: * Maresme, on the foothills overlooking the sea, is influenced by the sun and the Mediterranean breezes. The hills protect the vines from the cold winds and condense the humidity caused by the sea. The wines from this area are smooth with low

acidity levels The acids in wine are an important component in both winemaking and the finished product of wine. They are present in both grapes and wine, having direct influences on the color, balance and taste of the wine as well as the growth and vitality of ...

. * Vallès, on the interior slopes facing inland, has a more

continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm to hot summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in central and eastern parts of the three northern-tier continents (North America, Europe, and Asia), typi ...

. The wines are stronger and more acidic. The DO covers the following municipalities: Maresme:

Alella Alella () is a village in the ''comarca'' of Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast on the southwest side of the granite Catalan Coastal Range. The town is known for its wines, cava and perfumes, but is also a commuter town ...

Argentona Argentona () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the south-east side of the granite littoral zone, to the north-west of Mataró. The town is both a tourist centre and a notable horticultural ...

Cabrils Cabrils () is a city and municipality in the comarca of Maresme in the province of Barcelona and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. It is situated between the municipalities of Vilassar de Mar, Vilassar de Dalt, Òrrius, Argentona and Cabr ...

El Masnou ; ) is a municipality in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Montgat and Premià de Mar, to the north-east of the city of Barcelona, in the ''comarca'' (county) of el Maresme. The town is both a tour ...

Montgat Montgat () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Badalona (Barcelonès) and El Masnou, to the north-east of Barcelona. The town is both a tourist centre and a (somewhat ex ...

Òrrius Òrrius () is a village and municipality in the comarca of Maresme in the province of Barcelona and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. The municipality is delimited by La Roca del Vallès to the North, Vilassar de Dalt to the South East, A ...

Premià de Dalt Premià de Dalt () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Maresme in Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Cataloni ...

Premià de Mar Premià de Mar () is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the Comarques of Catalonia, ''comarca'' of the Maresme in Catalonia. It is situated on the coast between El Masnou and Vilassar de Mar, to the north-east of Barcelona. The town is b ...

, Tiana,

Vilassar de Dalt Vilassar de Dalt () is a village in Catalonia, Spain, in the province of Barcelona and the Comarques of Catalonia, ''comarca'' of Maresme. The name comes from the Roman name ''Villa Azari'', later changed to ''Vilassar''. In the 20th century, it s ...

Vallès:

La Roca del Vallès La Roca del Vallès () is a village in the comarca of Vallès Oriental in the province of Barcelona in Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statu ...

Martorelles Martorelles () is a municipality in the province of Barcelona and autonomous community of Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autono ...

Montornès del Vallès Montornès del Vallès () is a municipality in the province of Barcelona and autonomous community of Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute ...

Santa Maria de Martorelles Santa Maria de Martorelles () is a village in the province of Barcelona and autonomous community of Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute ...

Sant Fost de Campsentelles Sant Fost de Campsentelles () is a village in the province of Barcelona and autonomous community of Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute ...

Vallromanes Vallromanes () is a village in the Vallès Oriental, bordering Maresme, and approximately 25 km from Barcelona in Catalunya, Spain. It forms part of the Barcelona metropolitan area and extends along the northeastern slopes of the Sant Mateu ...

Vilanova del Vallès Vilanova del Vallès () is a village in the province of Barcelona and autonomous community of Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Aut ...

Climate

The oldest vineyards, close to the coast at an altitude of between 60 – 90 m above sea level enjoy a totally

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(mild winters, hot summers), whereas the younger ones, located higher up in cooler areas have a more continental climate. The average temperature is about 15 °C (max 35 °C in summer, min -3 °C in winter) and there is a risk of frost during the winter and spring months especially at the higher altitudes. Rainfall is sparse to average falling mainly at the end of summer and autumn in the form of violent storms. Average of 600 mm per year.

Soils

The lowest vineyards, at 60 m above sea level, are on dark soils over igneous rocks in an open valley overlooking the sea. The highest ones, in a new district known as Vallés, are on lime bearing rock sheltered by the mountains. The most interesting feature of Allella DO is the distinctive topsoil which is known as ''sauló'' in Catalan. It is basically a white granite-based sand which is very porous and retains heat very well. This helps the grapes to ripen, while the low water retention properties are compensated by the local humid

microclimate A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often slightly but sometimes substantially. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square m ...

Grape varieties

White: * Recommended:

Garnacha blanca Grenache blanc (; also known as garnatxa blanca in Catalonia) is a variety of white wine grape that is related to the red grape Grenache. It is mostly found in Rhône wine blends and in northeast Spain. Its wines are characterized by high alcohol ...

and

Xarel·lo Xarel·lo () is a white grape variety of Spanish origin specially grown in Catalonia. With Macabeo and Parellada, Xarel·lo is one of the three traditional varieties used to make the sparkling wine cava. Spanish plantations stood at in 200 ...

(Pansa blanca) * Also authorized:

Chardonnay Chardonnay (, ; ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new a ...

, Chenin,

Macabeo Macabeo, also called Viura or Macabeu (, ), is a white variety of wine grape. It is widely grown in the Rioja region of northeastern Spain, the Cava producing areas south of Barcelona, and the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. Spanis ...

Malvasia Malvasia (), also known as Malvazia, is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region and Macaronesia, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world. In the past, the names Malvasia, Malvazia, ...

, Moscatell de Gra Petit,

Parellada Parellada () is a Spanish white grape variety of Catalan origin specially grown in Catalonia, Spain. With Macabeu and Xarel·lo, it is one of the three traditional varieties used to make the sparkling wine Cava, which is primarily produced in ...

, Picapoll Blanc, and

Sauvignon blanc Sauvignon blanc () is a green-skinned grape variety that originates from the city of Bordeaux in France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French words ''sauvage'' ("wild") and ''blanc'' ("white") due to its early origins as an ind ...

Red: * Recommended: Garnacha Negra * Also authorized:

Cabernet sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebano ...

, Garnatxa Peluda,

Merlot Merlot ( ) is a dark-blue-colored wine grape variety that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name ''Merlot'' is thought to be a diminutive of , the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color ...

, Monastrell (Morastrell),

Pinot noir Pinot noir (), also known as Pinot nero, is a red-wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. The name also refers to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French language, French words fo ...

, Samsó,

Mazuela Mazuela is a municipality and town located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the P ...

, Sumoll negre,

Syrah Syrah (), also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse ...

and Ull de llebre (

Tempranillo Tempranillo (also known as Ull de Llebre, Cencibel, Tinto Fino and Tinta del País in Spain, Aragonez or Tinta Roriz in Portugal, and several other synonyms elsewhere) is a black grape variety widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in it ...

) The older vines grow freely while the newer vineyards have been planted on trellises. Planting density is between 2,000 and 3,500 vines per hectare.

References

External links

Official Website of DO Alella
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alella (Do) Wine regions of Spain Catalan wine