Verdejo rarely gets the attention it deserves outside Spain even though it can deliver heritage, diversity and value in one go. For consumers who want to spend less but drink better every day, a refreshing verdejo is a great choice for summer sipping, even though its dry, crisp and bright style is by no means traditional.
In Rueda, verdejo’s homeland, the traditional style of vino dorado (“the golden wine”) meant an oxidatively aged, fortified wine made from verdejo and palomino grapes. It was once considered an affordable alternative to sherry, with extra aging done in large, sun-exposed demi-johns, which helped develop the subtle “rancio” character from the oxidative process. Today, only a few producers still make vino dorado or verdejo dorado using this method, one of which is De Alberto, whose De Alberto Verdejo Rueda Dorado NV fondly recalls this lost fashion.
The dry, refreshing style we are familiar with today arose in the early 1970s, when the historic Rioja producer Marques de Riscal decided to add a white wine from Rueda to its portfolio. It is fair to say that Marques de Riscal helped put Rueda and verdejo on the wine map.
Verdejo’s current dry, fresh expressions also show their diversity through winemaking variations. On top of simple, varietal styles fermented in stainless-steel tanks that cut to the chase with lemony fruit and fennel herbs, many producers extend the contact of wines with lees to forge a creamy, sleek palate, giving a bit more volume and substance to the palate while offsetting the bitter almond character commonly found in many verdejos.
Increasingly, serious verdejo producers are fermenting and maturing their wines in oak barrels, with the new oak adding a flattering, creamy touch to the otherwise herbal and punchy nose. We feel the top ones from this category show a refined, aged complexity with a richer, fuller mouthfeel without sacrificing the fresh, vibrant and zingy character. Some lesser examples, however, go too far in stressing a toastier, nuttier style with an overly leesy flavor.
Some producers are also trying out new aging vessels such as concrete tanks/eggs or amphoras, which give the wine a supple yet textured palate while maintaining varietal personality.
During the past few weeks of our tastings of Spanish wines in Hong Kong, we have enjoyed a number fresh and creamy yet svelte renditions of verdejo showcasing citrus fruit, sliced apples, melon and bitter almonds/marzipan with a punch of botanical and fennel character.
Superior quality also showed through in the verdejo wines of Segovia, which is the eastern continuation of Rueda in Castilla y Leon. Here, Ossian Vides y Vinos produces rounder, more serious and minerally expressions of verdejo, and Marques de Riscal’s old-vine verdejo, Baron de Chirel, is among the best in the region. Further southeast in the more Mediterranean-influenced part of Spain, Gen One in Almansa is a noteworthy project making pure, understated, tactile expressions of verdejos.
That said, verdejo’s great value zone remains in Rueda, which continues to churn out refreshing, reliable and unassuming varietal verdejos (with at least 85 percent verdejo) in the under-$15 category. Below are eight that deliver excellent quality and value.
– Zekun Shuai, Associate Editor
Marqués de Riscal Verdejo Rueda Finca Montico 2019 – JS93
International Price: $13
12 Linajes Verdejo Rueda 2021 – JS92
International Price: $13
Portia Verdejo Rueda 2020 – JS92
International Price: $14
Torres Verdejo Rueda Celeste Sur Lies 2021 – JS92
U.S. Price: $16
Beronia Verdejo Rueda 2021 – JS91
U.S. Price: $14
Protos Verdejo Rueda Criado Sobre Lías Finas 2020 – JS91
U.S. Price: $15
Shaya Verdejo Rueda Shaya 2020 – JS91
Vivino: $14.99
Wine.com: $15.99
Bodegas Ordoñez Verdejo Rueda Nisia 2021 – JS90
Wine.com: $19.99
