| Wine description | lemon and citrus, minerality and above all, a sharp acidity |
|---|---|
| Food pairing | Tapas |
| Origin | North Africa |
| Notable regions | Spain |
| Notable wines | Wines from Rueda--Jose Pariente, Bodegas Lorenzo Cachazo, Bodegas Naia, Bodegas Yllera and Bodegas Nieva (6) |
Verdejo
Verdejo was generally used to make a strongly oxidized, Sherry-like wine. In the 1970s the winemaking company Marques de Riscal began to develop a fresher style of white wine based on Verdejo with the help of French oenologist Emile Peynaud.[2] In 1980 white wines from the Rueda region were recognized by a Denominacion de Origen (DO). Wines labeled Rueda must contain 50% Verdejo; the remainder is typically Sauvignon blanc or Macabeo. Wines designated "Rueda Verdejo" must contain 85% Verdejo, and are often 100% Verdejo.[3]
The Verdejo grapes are generally harvested at night. This means that the grapes enter the cellar at the lower night-time temperature of between 10-15 C instead of the daytime temperature which in September can reach as high as 28 or 30 C. Lower temperatures means less oxidation, or browning of the juice. [4] Verdejo wines are aromatic, often soft and full-bodied.[5]
References
- "Verdejo", webpage of Consejo Regulador Denominacion de Origen Rueda. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
- Asimov, Eric (2008). "Wines of the Times: Emerging, in Spain, to Warm Applause", The New York Times, March 5, 2008. Online version retrieved 2008-03-07.
- "Back labels", webpage of Consejo Regulador Denominación de Origen Rueda. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
- "D.O. Verdejo", webpage from the Excel Wines website retrieved 27-May-2008.
- "Wines from Spain: Grape Variety", webpage from Wines From Spain website retrieved March 23, 2008
- Verdejo - Spain’s Signature White Grape