🍇 Verdejo

Verdejo is a white Spanish grape variety. It is the basis of the fresh wines of Rueda in the Castilla y León region. Rueda lies on a high plateau where nights are cool and days are warm, which helps the variety keep its aroma.

Wine from Verdejo is pale, with aromas of herbs, citrus, fennel and fresh-cut grass. A pleasant slight bitterness shows at the end. It is usually drunk young and chilled, as a light wine with snacks, fish and salads. There are also barrel-aged wines, which are softer and richer.

The variety is old: it was brought to Spain many centuries ago, and it has long grown in Rueda. Verdejo is in the list of grape varieties and tied to Spanish wine. By ancestry it belongs to the family of Traminer and Castelã Blanca. Rueda became famous thanks to it: in the 20th century the local variety was valued again and modern winemaking began here. It is an example of how reviving an old variety changes an area.