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.
Even though I try not to be a score-shopper (“90+ only, please!”), it’s hard to pass up a 91-pointer for under $12 from an up-and-coming appellation: Montsant. It’s a relatively new Spanish D.O., formerly a sub-region within the Tarragona D.O. It essentially surrounds the Priorat D.O., which is home to many high-dollar cult wines. Like Priorat, Montsant is planted mostly to Garnacha (Grenache) and Cariñena (Carignane). Let’s check it out.
This bottle was recommended to me as “If you like Vinho Verde, you’ll like this.” By which the recommender meant a light crisp white with a little natural effervescence and low alcohol. That style of wine isn’t exactly the stuff of contemplation, but it can be just right sometimes. Let’s check this one out…
