After having a very nice Rueda Verdejo last week, this bottle caught my eye when I was at the wine shop. I opened it for tonight’s penne with pesto, potatoes and green beans.

Producer: Bodegas Naia

Importer: Jorge Ordonez – If you’re ever stuck at a wine shop and not sure what to get, head to the Spanish section and look for this logo on the back label. (Any wine he imports is worth a shot.)

Grapes: 100% Verdejo

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

Vineyards: no info

Winemaking/aging: no info

Alcohol: 13%

Price: $11

My tasting notes: A little waxy on the nose with lemon, faint tropical fruit and a little metallic twang. On the palate, I get more lemon, unripe peach and a little spice. Good mouthfeel, it finishes with nice acidity without being tart.

Overall assessment: Not bad at all. It’s a good crisp white wine that’ll go well with lots of food. (It was nice with the pesto pasta dish). If you’re looking for a Rueda Verdejo, though, I like the Valdelainos better. B-

Free association:

More info:

Gary V. tasted this wine on WLTV. Also, check out the episode with Jorge Ordonez.

Wine Enthusiast gave this wine an 88.

23 tasting notes at CellarTracker and 3 at Corkd.

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.