Menade Verdejo 2020
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Robert
Parker - Decanter
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Brimming with concentrated varietal and mineral aromas of mint, white stone fruit, and citrus peel that lead to a round, robust, saline palate with character, ripe fruit, and attractive herbaceous elements such as laurel, thyme, and fennel.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Their regular 2020 Verdejo was also produced with organic grapes fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and with a small portion of skins and was kept with the lees for two to three months. It's young and fruit-driven, with a faint reduction and some herbal notes. It has a mellow palate with clean flavors and a fresh finish.
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Decanter
Organic, vegan and vegetarian: this wild-ferment Verdejo has its eco-credentials sorted. Made from selected plots of Verdejo, grown at 700-800m and vinified separately, it's a ripe and fruity style, with exuberant aromas of peach and juicy pear. Creamy textured palate, thanks to time on lees, but with crisp acidity adding bite to the finish. Zesty lemon sherbet, lime and grapefruit balance the ripe peachiness of the mid-palate, with a clean note of fennel too.
Other Vintages
2022-
Robert
Parker
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James
Suckling
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Jeb
Dunnuck
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Wilfred
Wong
The Sanz siblings agree that organic farming, a high proportion of old vines grown on chalk and careful harvesting at night are essential to produce vibrant and fresh wines. Fermentations are done in temperature controlled tanks under a blanket of CO2 and using only indigenous yeasts. A variety of tank sizes are at their disposal, so fermentations can be made by flavor profile and minor variations of soil. While it common in the DO to blend Sauvignon with Verdejo, Richard makes three purely Verdejo cuvées for us – each expressing a unique variation of the varietal.
Captivating and full of character, Verdejo grows with great success in Rueda, Spain and virtually nowhere else in Europe. It has become so trendy in Spain since the turn of the century that plantings have also increased tremendously. Somm Secret—Contrary to what some may think, it is actually not related to the Portugese variety with a very similar name, Verdelho. In fact, DNA profiling suggests it may be a sibling of Godello, another native of NW Spain.
Rueda is located along the banks of the Duero River in Spain’s Castilla y León region, just a 2-hour drive north of Madrid. While winemaking in this area goes back to the 12th century, it was in the 1980s that the region was granted Denominación de Origen (D.O.) status. Today, more than 70 wineries call Rueda home. This national favorite is the top-selling white wine in Spain.
Notable facts Rueda’s main grape variety, Verdejo, gets it distinct complexity from stressful growing conditions and mineral-rich soil. Think of Verdejo as a fuller-bodied and more aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. A lush and smooth character with perfectly balanced acidity means Rueda wines pair well with seafood, fresh salads and spicy food, but are also great on their own.