Valdelainos Verdejo 2007 Rueda

Producer: Bodegas Pedro Escudero

Grapes: 100% Verdejo

Appellation: D.O. Rueda, Spain (map). The home of Verdejo.

Vineyard: from an estate vineyard named “Fuente Elvira” – gravel and sand over a red clay sub-soil

Winemaking/aging: aged 2 months in stainless steel on the lees.

Alcohol: 13%

Price: Don’t remember exactly what I paid, but it’s in the $10-12 range.

My tasting notes: Juicy/mouth-watering nose of grass and citrus. Smells like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. More of the same on the palate with some apples joining the party, along with a faint minerality. As it warms in the glass, I start to pick up more melon: honeydew and underripe canteloupe. Very crisp and fresh and perky.

Overall assessment: Just a great little wine. Many of the New Zealand SBs that this is similar to have crept up in price closer to the $15 price point. This gives you a similar experience for a few bucks less, with a little extra geek-cred. “House white”-worthy. B+

Free association: For some reason, this wine reminds me of the The Cosby Show theme song (circa Season 4 – it changed quite a bit over time).

More info:

Importer’s tech sheet and collection of reviews/scores.

The D.O. Rueda website.

Tasting notes on CellarTracker and from James the Wine Guy.