2020 Bohigas Xarel-lo Catalonia Spain 750 ml

Spain puts out some of the top white wine values in the world—but the price on Bohigas’ outstanding Xarel-lo will make you do a double take. From organically farmed estate vineyards, this crisp white is bright and vivacious, with pretty orchard fruit and subtle minerality.

Often with wines this affordable, there’s a “for the price” subtext, but we offer no such caveat for the Bohigas: It’s an outstanding wine, period, with a bright personality that makes it a perfect aperitif and an unbeatable companion at the table. That’s why we can’t stop drinking it.  

Showing a platinum color in the glass, a first swirl reveals delicate aromas of pears, almond blossoms, and a hint of seaspray. The palate is deliciously airy and fresh, with subtle green apple and Asian pear flavors complemented by a mouthwatering citrus edge.

Xarel-lo (“shah-REL-lo”) is the signature native grape of the Penedès mountains, just outside Barcelona. Most Xarel-lo is bottled as Cava (Spain’s famed sparkling wine), and that’s where Bohigas built their sterling reputation. But it turns out that even the Catalans can’t live on sparkling wine alone, and Bohigas began making this wine to highlight its potential in still-wine production.

Their vineyards are located at high altitudes, on the coveted banks of the Anoia River valley, where the cool climate promotes bright, fresh flavors and vibrant acidity in the wines. Bohigas makes sure to preserve those qualities, meticulously controlling fermentation in stainless steel tanks and bottling the wine young to preserve its energetic fruit.