In the glass
Aroma: dried herb, yellow apple, saline, fennel
Palate: chalky lemon, white peach, mineral lift, long saline close
Single-plot Xarel-lo from old vines on Massis del Garraf limestone. Saline, herbal, structured Penedes white.
What it pairs with
-
Esqueixada salt cod salad
Find esqueixada salt cod salad on TableJourney →
Catalan raw-cured cod meets Xarel-lo's saline and herbal edge. -
Grilled cuttlefish
Sea-edge cephalopod and Pairal's saline drive lock together. -
Aged Manchego
Sheep's-milk salt sharpens the wine's herbal core. -
Romesco-glazed vegetables
Find romesco-glazed vegetables on TableJourney →
Romesco's nutty depth balances Xarel-lo's saline mineral lift.
History
Single-plot Xarel-lo from old vines at Can Rafols dels Caus on fossil-rich Cretaceous limestone. The first serious mono-varietal Xarel-lo white in the modern Penedes era.
- 1990 — First Pairal Xarel-lo vintage
Facts
- Producer
- Can Rafols dels Caus
- Grapes
- Xarel-lo (100%)
- Classification
- DO Penedes
- Oak
- Ageing on lees, no new oak emphasis
- ABV
- 13.0%
- Price
- EUR 30 to 50 at retail
- Drinking window
- 3-12 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1990
- Organic
- CCPAE
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Frequently asked about Pairal Xarel-lo
What does Pairal Xarel-lo taste like?
Dried herb, yellow apple, saline and fennel on the nose; chalky lemon, white peach, mineral lift and a long saline close on the palate. Medium-bodied with high acidity.
When should I drink Pairal?
Drink 3 to 12 years from vintage. The wine develops impressive depth with bottle age and rewards a 20 minute decant in youth.
Is Pairal vegan?
Yes. Can Rafols dels Caus uses vegan fining.
What food pairs with Pairal?
Esqueixada salt cod salad is the canonical Catalan pairing. Grilled cuttlefish, aged Manchego, and romesco-glazed vegetables are equally strong.
What grapes are in Pairal?
100 percent Xarel-lo from old vines on the Garraf limestone escarpment, single-plot and ageable.