The small mountain town of La Beguda Baixa sits on the limestone conglomerate slopes of Monserrat, the iconic, craggy massif that towers above Barcelona. This is the alt-Penedès, famed for its cava production. Xarel-lo, a native white variety, is the primary white grape in the Penedès DO (as well as in their delicious cava wines), and at Castell D'Age is farmed and crafted magnificently by Olivia Junyent for both her cavas and this still, 100% xarel-lo, bottling.

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Working with winemaker/oenologist Olga Betrián, the grapes are grown utilizing biodynamic methods in the fields, the wines made with natural techniques in the cellar. Castell D'Age was one of the first wineries in the region to go organic, and their embrace of biodynamics is similarly ahead of the times. The result is a pure, beautiful expression of this native Catalan grape.

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The 2018 L'Essència has a classic xarel-lo nose of fresh rubber and peaches, fennel and herbs, with lots of crumbled rock minerality, and is full bodied with low acidity. Drink it with nutty cheeses, cured or fresh fish, and shellfish.