Today’s wine hails from Spain, specifically from the Penedes region from Parés Baltà. I tried it some years ago at a Wine Media Guild lunch I was lucky to be invited to. The theme was all about Spanish white wines. It was an exciting line-up in general and this one stuck out to me. I was also sitting with the export manager of the winery and that is always helpful. Then I found out the amazing story of the family and the two winemakers who are women and it seemed like a perfect fit for this blog.

The wine in question is made from Xarel·lo at one of their vineyards which is at 254 meters above sea level. I am always interested in monovarietal wines made from varieties that are usually blended. Xarel-lo is one of the principal grapes in Cava, Spain’s famed sparkling wine. That has been the case since Manuel Raventos, the son of Josep Raventos who created the first sparkling wine in Penedes used Xarel.lo in the blend. Calcari refers to the calcareous or chalky soils in this area.

The wine ferments in stainless steel tanks and then rests on its lees with daily battonage for four months.

The texture of this wine indeed was one of the things that drew me to it. It paired perfectly with a variety of tapas dishes that were served at the luncheon. It also seemed to me like a wine which would lend itself to drinking more than one bottle at a time. At an average of $15 around the country, that is also a feasible option for a party wine of a great during the week wine with a chicken or fish based dinner.

I thought it would be great to showcase this wine again for Women’s history month and my deep dive into the women winemakers I have interviewed. Here is an interview I did with one of the winemakers, Maria Elena Jimenez.