I don’t have a large catalog of Verdejo in my
brain, as there is very little of this grape grown in California. The ones I
have found in my travels are either grown in the Sierra Foothills or in Lodi,
warm and dry climates that are fairly similar to Spain’s Rueda region. Most of
them tend to be very aromatic and have a slightly heavier body with more
tropical notes and they can seem almost Viognier-like.
The Verdejo Grape
The Verdejo grape
variety grows in small clusters of tiny grapes that have a thick golden skin
which provides a defense against harsh dry climates. It has long been grown in the Rueda region of Spain but the grape
originated in North
Africa. In the 11th Century it was spread to Rueda, possibly by Mozarabs - Iberian
Christians who lived under Arab Islamic rule in Al-Andalu. Verdejo
was generally used to make a strongly oxidized, Sherry-like wine.
In the 1970s the winemaking company Marqués de Riscal began to develop a fresher
style of white wine based on Verdejo with the help of French oenologist Émile Peynaud, who author
of one of the best books on wine The Taste of Wine: The Art and Science of
Wine Appreciation.
In 1980 white wines from the Rueda region were recognized by a Denominación de Origen (DO).
Wines labeled Rueda must contain at least 50%
Verdejo; the remainder is typically Sauvignon Blanc or Macabeo. Wines designated “Rueda
Verdejo” must contain at least 85% Verdejo but are frequently 100% Verdejo
The Rueda Region
Spain’s Rueda region is an elevated, dry land
that sits on the Castillian tablelands northwest of the Spanish capital of
Madrid. There
is only one Denominación de Origen in the
region of Rueda, which is “Rueda D.O.” The Denominación
de Origen Rueda was approved by the Ministry of Agriculture on January
12, 1980. It was the first Denominación de Origen
to be approved in the Region of Castilla y León, after years of hard work in
order to earn acknowledgement and protection for its most well-known grape
variety - Verdejo.
The
region consists of 74 towns and villages, 53 of which are located south of the
province of Valladolid,
17 to the west of Segovia and
4 north of Ávila.
The different grape varieties grown here are irregularly scattered over the
several municipal districts comprising Rueda Appellation of Origin. However, it
is the area found within the boundaries of La Seca, Rueda and Serrada where
vineyards are in a higher proportion and greater intensity.[1]
The Wine
The 2011 José Pariente Verdejo is made from 100%
Verdejo from the Pariente family’s 30-year-old vineyard.[2]
This wine is clear, straw-yellow and on the nose I picked up slightly under
ripe bananas, peaches, white flowers and apricots. After much swirling (it was
served rather cold) I picked up additional aromas of honeycomb and melon. On
the palate this wine has high acidity, it is medium bodied and has a prolonged
finish with lingering notes of zesty dried apricots.
I don’t
give out wine scores and even if I did I don’t have a large enough experience
with this varietal to form a basis for comparison. However, this wine has
scored fairly well among wine critics as it received 89 points from the Wine
Spectator, 90 points from Stephan Tanzer’s International
Wine Cellar and 91 points from Robert Parker.
I tasted this wine at The Vine at Bridges in Danville, California and brought a bottle home. I have seen it for sale anywhere between
$20 and $25.
To visit or for more information:
The Vine at Bridges
480 Hartz Ave
Danville, CA 94526
Phone: 1-925-820-7210
Wine Bar Hours
Sunday:
12 (noon) - 7pm
Monday:
5 - 9pm
Tuesday
- Wednesday: 4 - 10pm
Thursday
- Saturday: 4 pm - 12:00 am
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