I Think Verdejo Is Underrated – Where Do You Stand?
I Think Verdejo Is Underrated – Where Do You Stand?
by ItsWine101
10 Comments
ItsWine101
Verdejo is underappreciated. It isn’t quite a punchline of the wine intelligentsia like Donny was to The Dude and Walter, but comparing it to other whites similar in style and price, Verdejo is often for many considering a purchase an afterthought, or worse, an outright omission (at least here in the US). I needed something uncomplicated and reliable last night, so I opened a bottle of Marqués de Riscal Verdejo; it did not disappoint.
Verdejo is the 45th most-planted wine grape in the world. Despite this scale, Verdejo wines are constantly outshined by varieties with a fraction of its physical presence, such as Vermentino (around 2/3 the vineyard hectarage globally) and Verdejo’s Spanish compatriot, Albariño (less than 1/3).
A big factor in this disparity is Verdejo’s historical use primarily in fortified wine production. It’s only been over the past half century or so that wineries in Rueda—the birthplace of Verdejo—began eschewing their traditional Sherry-esque facsimiles in favor of fresher, more approachable table wines; “modern” Verdejo simply is not as established as many of its stylistic peers.
Marqués de Riscal was instrumental in changing the way Spanish producers viewed Verdejo. The winery in the 1970s wanted to create a new white wine that was lighter and more broadly appealing than the heavy Riojas crafted by its neighbors. To do this, Riscal acquired some parcels around Rueda and began cultivating Verdejo.
Today, Riscal’s range includes four Verdejos of increasing stature (the extremely limited Barón de Chirel Viñas Centenarias is made with fruit from 100+ year-old pre-phylloxera bush vines!), but its entry level Verdejo epitomizes how much value this variety has to offer. Crunchy green tree fruit like pear and apple, sweet mandarin citrus, slight tropical pineapple, and a hint of greenery; lively acidity, and a medium-light body with some plush roundness to it. A straightforward wine that outpulls its weight.
What do y’all think about Verdejo? What other varieties or regions/styles are flying under the radar in your part of the world?
Cheers!
12OBEBE
It’s not my style, the bitter ones don’t suit me in the end
artfulpain
Love love love Spanish whites. I lean more towards an Alberino or Blanco rioja. Still easily drinkable.
WishLucky9075
Spanish whites are so underappreciated
Ah_Go_On
I love Hermanos Lurton Verdejo, plenty of lees ageing for a Muscadet-adjacent feel but the fruit is lovely too. I have not yet wholly forgiven M de Riscal for the dogshit Sauvignon Blanc they also make in Rueda.
NaggerCarpetBagger
Always great. Even the bad ones are great taking into account the <6€ price they are sold in Spain. Verdejo and Ribeiro needs/will make a comeback because Albariño is getting crazy expensive.
MaceWinnoob
Wines that start with V sell disproportionally well. I don’t know why. That said, Verdejo is my least favorite of them. Kinda boring.
Dead_Cthulu
I had roughly 100000000 Cune Verdejos during the COVID lockdown summer in Barcelona.
abuttfarting
There’s some neat Verdejo out there that’s aged under flor and/or in Solera, but most of it is just uninteresting.
Vikizz
Never tried it but looks interesting! will have to check if it’s sold at Canadian retailers. A little past it’s peak period though as per Sommelier’s Window analysis: [https://sommelierswindow.com/wine/2021-marques-de-riscal-verdejo](https://sommelierswindow.com/wine/2021-marques-de-riscal-verdejo) still tasting good?
10 Comments
Verdejo is underappreciated. It isn’t quite a punchline of the wine intelligentsia like Donny was to The Dude and Walter, but comparing it to other whites similar in style and price, Verdejo is often for many considering a purchase an afterthought, or worse, an outright omission (at least here in the US). I needed something uncomplicated and reliable last night, so I opened a bottle of Marqués de Riscal Verdejo; it did not disappoint.
Verdejo is the 45th most-planted wine grape in the world. Despite this scale, Verdejo wines are constantly outshined by varieties with a fraction of its physical presence, such as Vermentino (around 2/3 the vineyard hectarage globally) and Verdejo’s Spanish compatriot, Albariño (less than 1/3).
A big factor in this disparity is Verdejo’s historical use primarily in fortified wine production. It’s only been over the past half century or so that wineries in Rueda—the birthplace of Verdejo—began eschewing their traditional Sherry-esque facsimiles in favor of fresher, more approachable table wines; “modern” Verdejo simply is not as established as many of its stylistic peers.
Marqués de Riscal was instrumental in changing the way Spanish producers viewed Verdejo. The winery in the 1970s wanted to create a new white wine that was lighter and more broadly appealing than the heavy Riojas crafted by its neighbors. To do this, Riscal acquired some parcels around Rueda and began cultivating Verdejo.
Today, Riscal’s range includes four Verdejos of increasing stature (the extremely limited Barón de Chirel Viñas Centenarias is made with fruit from 100+ year-old pre-phylloxera bush vines!), but its entry level Verdejo epitomizes how much value this variety has to offer. Crunchy green tree fruit like pear and apple, sweet mandarin citrus, slight tropical pineapple, and a hint of greenery; lively acidity, and a medium-light body with some plush roundness to it. A straightforward wine that outpulls its weight.
What do y’all think about Verdejo? What other varieties or regions/styles are flying under the radar in your part of the world?
Cheers!
It’s not my style, the bitter ones don’t suit me in the end
Love love love Spanish whites. I lean more towards an Alberino or Blanco rioja. Still easily drinkable.
Spanish whites are so underappreciated
I love Hermanos Lurton Verdejo, plenty of lees ageing for a Muscadet-adjacent feel but the fruit is lovely too. I have not yet wholly forgiven M de Riscal for the dogshit Sauvignon Blanc they also make in Rueda.
Always great. Even the bad ones are great taking into account the <6€ price they are sold in Spain.
Verdejo and Ribeiro needs/will make a comeback because Albariño is getting crazy expensive.
Wines that start with V sell disproportionally well. I don’t know why. That said, Verdejo is my least favorite of them. Kinda boring.
I had roughly 100000000 Cune Verdejos during the COVID lockdown summer in Barcelona.
There’s some neat Verdejo out there that’s aged under flor and/or in Solera, but most of it is just uninteresting.
Never tried it but looks interesting! will have to check if it’s sold at Canadian retailers. A little past it’s peak period though as per Sommelier’s Window analysis: [https://sommelierswindow.com/wine/2021-marques-de-riscal-verdejo](https://sommelierswindow.com/wine/2021-marques-de-riscal-verdejo) still tasting good?