Bodegas Veracruz, Rueda

Once upon a time, Spanish white wines were dull, oxidised affairs dressed up in sappy oak. Most definitely the poor relation of the more illustrious reds. Oh, but how times have changed! Today, Spain is home to some of the most exciting white varieties and offers something a little more challenging than an endless stream of Chardonnay and Sauvignon.

Having spent almost two years searching for a great white (not a shark) from Rueda, we have finally found what we were looking for.

Bodegas Veracruz takes it’s name from the chapel, “La Ermita de la Veracruz” in the village of Nava del Rey. The quirky label, illustrating a stork, represents the pair of storks that regularly nest on top of the chapel. The 2002 Verdejo is the first release from this premium producer and it illustrates all that is good about the “new Spain”.

Produced from low yielding 25 yr old vines, the wine is macerated on skins for 12 hours to add extra complexity and fatness. Cold fermentation retains the pure, grassy flavours of the Verdejo. The resulting wine is a wonderful melange of fleshy, grassy, fennel laced fruit with great texture and panache.