Alella (DO)
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Alella Denominación de Origen (DO) is located in the province of Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) on the coast of the Mediterranean, only 15 km to the north of the city of Barcelona. 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, despite a territorial extension in 1989.
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[edit] History
Wine has been produced in this area since the time of the ancient Romans, and during the Middle Ages its wine was served at the court of the Kings of Aragón. The region suffered the effects of the phylloxera virus at the end of the 19th century but the vineyards were successfully replanted using phylloxera resistant rootstock from the New World.
During the 1920s the region was famous for its cava (sparkling wine).
During the 1980s new varieties were introduced and the wine-making methods modernised. 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.
[edit] Geography
The vineyards grow in the foothills of the Sierra de Parpers, from the coast up the slopes of the mountains.
[edit] Climate
The oldest vineyards, close to the coast at an altitude of between 60 – 90 m above sea level enjoy a totally Mediterranean climate (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.
[edit] 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 topsoil in both areas is sandy and is known as saulo in Catalan. It is basically white granite based sand which is very porous and retains heat very well. The Besòs river forms the western boundary of the DO.
[edit] Grape Varieties
Alella DO allows the use of several grape varieties, many of them native to Catalonia, though the traditional white varieties are Pansá Blanca and Chardonnay and the traditional red varieties are Garnacha, Merlot and Tempranillo (known locally as Ull de Llebre). Other authorised white varieties are Garnacha Blanca, Pansá Rosada, Picapoll, Malvasía, Parellada, Macabeo and Chenin Blanc.
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.
