Alella, town near Barcelona in cataluña (see map under spain) which gives its name to a small Spanish denominated wine zone making mainly white wines in increasingly urbanized countryside. To compensate for the loss of agricultural land, this tiny do was extended northwards in 1989 but by 2012 there were only 315 ha/750 acres of vineyard left, a fraction of the area planted in 1956 when Alella was first awarded DO status. The zone used to be known for its old-fashioned, cask-aged, medium-sweet white wines. The chief grape variety is Pansa Blanca, the local name for xarel-lo, which is now grown along with some chenin blanc and chardonnay to make both cava sparkling wines and dry, still white wine. The reputation of Alella was salvaged by Parxet/Marqués de Alella, which pioneered these new styles of wine. Alta Alella is an important new 21st-century producer.
