Just over 20 to 25 years ago, Spanish winemakers complained that it was almost impossible to produce modern, fresh white wines in Spain. Then the Verdejo from Rueda entered the stage, crisp, fresh, gripping in its fruit, racy and piquant. Verdejo has been around for a long time in Rueda, a wine-growing region on the high plateau of Castile and León, but sweet wines were previously made from it due to the warm climate. It was only Marques de Riscal from the Rioja region who proved in the 1970s that with appropriate cultivation and pruning as well as modern measures such as night harvesting and cool fermentation in steel tanks, rich, fruity, dry wines can be produced. Verdejo is a long-established grape variety in Rueda and is related to Godello, which is grown in Galicia. Flowering occurs relatively early with a subsequent rather short ripening period. It is ideal for the warm, dry climate, but is susceptible to powdery mildew. With high-quality cultivation and conscientious modern aging in the cellar, it brings not only plenty of fruit and freshness but also a beautiful complexity to the scent, which can perhaps even be increased in a cuvée with Sauvignon Blanc. Occasionally, experiments are carried out with aging in small oak barrels.
This grape variety is also known by the name of:
Verdejo Blanco
