# La Bufarella Xarel·lo (2024)

- **Producer:** Celler La Salada
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Xarel·lo
- **Region:** Catalonia, Spain
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €21
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** orange, grapefruit, quince, fennel, herbaceous

## About this wine

Celler La Salada was founded in 2012 by Toni Carbó and his wife Anna Serra in Les Parellades del Pla del Penedès. Toni represents the fourth generation of vignerons in his family, naming the estate after the historical farmhouse built by his great-grandfather. The single vineyard La Bufarella spans 1.1 hectares on a north-facing slope planted in 1982. Dedicated to preserving ancestral Catalan winemaking methods, Celler La Salada farms organically and biodynamically without tilling to protect soil fauna and foster biodiversity.

## Interesting facts

- Planted in 1982, the 1.1-hectare La Bufarella vineyard sits on a steep north-facing slope of calcareous clay.
- The wine undergoes 4 to 5 months of skin contact in stainless steel tanks without any added sulfur dioxide.
- Bottled directly from stainless steel tanks following the lunar calendar without fining or filtration.

## Food pairing

The wine's bright acidity, saline minerality, and subtle phenolics from skin contact make it exceptionally versatile with seafood, rice dishes, and lighter vegetable-focused cuisine. The refreshing structure cleanses the palate when paired with oily fish or light tempura.

## Wine making process

Harvesting is done manually in 12 kg boxes with sorting in the vineyard. Grapes are chilled to 4°C for 24 hours prior to spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks without additives. Fermentation occurs with 95% destemmed fruit and 5% whole clusters, followed by 4 to 5 months of skin contact in stainless steel tanks. The wine ages on its lees before being bottled directly from tank according to the lunar calendar, with no fining, filtration, or added sulfur dioxide.