If you asked for "una copa di vino blanco" in a bar in Spain 20 years ago you would almost certainly be given a glass of white Rioja. Try the same order in large parts of Spain today and chances are you get a glass of Rueda Verdejo. Well, certainly this is my experience lately and I'm definitely not complaining because wines made wholly or largely from the Verdejo grape (which almost by definition means coming from the Rueda Denominación de Origen) are light, crisp, refreshing and remarkably good value for money. Sitting with a glass in the sun they are perfect aperitif wines yet also a versatile accompaniment to a wide range of foods. Between now and Easter Monday there are a couple of UK supermarket discounts which allow us to try out Verdejo at near Spanish prices but it is also worth trading up to one of the more expensive bottles (don't worry, it won't break the bank) to see what a Verdejo with a little more complexity can offer.
Verdejo now accounts for around 40% of the white wine production in Spain with most vines growing in what Oz Clarke describes as "a most unprepossessing, windswept gravel pit of a place called Rueda" (Clarke 2018, Red & White p.267). Rueda is about 170km NW of Madrid in the province of Castilla y León. Here Verdejo has become big business, dominating the industry and accounting for 85%+ of all grapes grown. In spite of the 'windswept gravel pit of a place' the high altitude of vineyards at 600-800km results in a significant difference between day and night temperatures that enables grapes to reach optimum ripeness and acidity.
This mouthwatering acidity is matched with flavours of citrus and tropical fruits and often a noticeable grassiness. If such descriptors suggest something akin to Sauvignon Blanc this is not unusual since Verdejo is frequently described as Spain's answer to aromatic Sauvignon Blanc and many producers add a bit of SB to the blend. However, the regulations stipulate that bottles of Rueda Verdejo must contain at least 85% Verdejo grapes and, in a gesture of reciprocity, a bottle of Rueda Sauvignon Blanc must be at least 85% SB.
So here are a few recommendations .....
From the title there is no indication at all that this might be Verdejo but trust me this is an 80% Verdejo 20% Sauvignon Blanc blend. It's a very attractive entry level bottle of wine. It tastes very green, citrusy and leafy and at 11.5% is pretty light in alcohol compared with Verdejo's more typical 13% or 13.5%. It gets some rave reviews from Waitrose customers who recognise its value for money, its fruity 'quaffability', its freshness and citrus flavour, plus the fact that it is organic.
Until 10 April £5.99 (reduced from £6.99)
At the moment you can buy this wine for even less than the Tierra Sagrada Blanco above. Although it is priced £7.00 it need only cost you £5.25 as part of Morrison's current 'Buy 6, 25% off' offer. It is 100% Verdejo grapes and made for Morrisons by Diez Siglos. The website trumpets its fresh green apple and lively citrus flavours and reviewers have noted its "flinty stone fruits on the nose, saline and bitter lime peel taste, and mouth-smacking acidity".
£7.00 (but don't forget the 'Buy 6, 25% off deal until 11 April)
This is another wine made from 100% Verdejo grapes in a winery belonging to the Gozalas Byass group. It shows all the characteristics of Verdejo wines such as bright yellow appearance and prominent citrus and herbaceous aromas, but is probably slightly more richly textured on the palate. It is a bottle that is reasonably widely available in the UK. It currently sells for £8.99 in Waitrose but if you are fortunate to be in the north of England you can find it on promotion in Booths stores until 11 April.
£8.99 from Waitrose. Until 11 April £7.50 (reduced from £9.50) from Booths.
After trying one or two of the cheaper Verdejos it's definitely worth trading up to see what you get for twice the price. This Verdejo from Bodegas Shaya part of the Bodegas Gil Family Estates group is not cheap but it is definitely value for money. The grapes here come from vines over 70 years old on plots near the Segovia and while the yield is low, production standards are extremely high. The result is a far more complex and subtle wine, beautifully balanced and with a long finish.
£16.95 from The Great Wine Company
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