Verdejo rarely gets the attention it deserves outside Spain even though it can deliver heritage, diversity and value in one go. For consumers who want to spend less but drink better every day, a refreshing verdejo is a great choice for summer sipping, even though its dry, crisp and bright style is by no means traditional.
In Rueda, verdejo’s homeland, the traditional style of vino dorado (“the golden wine”) meant an oxidatively aged, fortified wine made from verdejo and palomino grapes. It was once considered an affordable alternative to sherry, with extra aging done in large, sun-exposed demi-johns, which helped develop the subtle “rancio” character from the oxidative process. Today, only a few producers still make vino dorado or verdejo dorado using this method, one of which is De Alberto, whose De Alberto Verdejo Rueda Dorado NV fondly recalls this lost fashion.
The dry, refreshing style we are familiar with today arose in the early 1970s, when the historic Rioja producer Marques de Riscal decided to add a white wine from Rueda to its portfolio. It is fair to say that Marques de Riscal helped put Rueda and verdejo on the wine map.
