Rueda

Time to eat crow.  

We always thought the Rueda (roo-AY-dah) wine appellation solely produced wine made from the Verdejo grape, kind of like Picpoul in France, an entire wine appellation dedicated to a single varietal.  But we were wrong.  While Verdejo has been the signature grape of Rueda since the 11th century and currently 90% of the production there, some time back Sauvignon Blanc made its appearance there and more recently, Chardonnay and Viognier have been added.  As of 2008 red grapes have even been added, making up 4% of vineyard land currently.

Rueda is Spain's most famous white wine region.  All of the changes mentioned above actually began in the 1970s when the great Rioja house, Marques de Riscal, took an interest in the area.  At that time the sherry grape, Palomino Fino, was still widely planted there, a legacy of the Phylloxera debacle a hundred years earlier.  With all of the continental climate benefits we recounted in the previous post, Riscal was eager to invest in Rueda's fine wine potential. 

In the store currently we have two from Bodegas Grupo Yllera, a varietal Sauvignon Blanc and a white blended of 91% Verdejo, 3% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Chardonnay, 2% Viognier and 2% of the indigenous Viura varietal.  Since Spanish wine law says a varietal wine must be 85% of that type, we don't know why this one wasn't just called Verdejo, except that the blend name may sell better, I guess.

Verdejo wine is aromatic and fruit-forward with flavors of citrus, grass, stone fruit, white flowers and fennel.  It is full bodied, structured, acidic and finishes with a little bitter almond amongst everything else.  Most of the white wines of Rueda are 100% Verdejo.  In a blend Verdejo adds fruit and a floral quality, which, if you think about it, meshes quite well with the tropical fruit and minerality of Sauvignon Blanc.  Whether as a varietal or in a blend,  Rueda Verdejo has always been a fave here.