Alella DO [ah-LEH-lyah]
A small DO zone located on the outskirts of Barcelona in the Catalonia region in northeast Spain. As the urban sprawl of Barcelona grows toward the small village of Alella, the vineyards around it are disappearing, being replaced with houses. In 1989 this designated area, which has been shrinking since the 1970s, added the vineyards of four other towns to increase its size. This move has been criticized because the added vineyards aren’t as good as those in the original zone. Alella primarily produces semisweet and dry white wines. The main white grapes used in them are Pansá Blanca (Xarel-lo) and Garnacha Blanca (Grenache). Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc have also been approved and are used. A small amount of red and rosé wines are produced from Ulle de Llebre (Tempranillo) and Garnacha tinta (Grenache). The area’s white wines, which should be consumed young, are considered its best.
The New Wine Lovers Companion, 2nd Edition, by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Copyright © (1) 2003, 1995 by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.