What and where is DO Rueda?
Nestled up in the central-north part of Spain, with Galicia to the west and hugging the northeastern corner of Portugal, we find the wine region of Rueda. It forms part of the greater Castilla y Léon area and was the first of the 9 official regions within it to receive its own delimited status, earning the title ‘Denominación de Origen’ (or ‘DO’ for short), where strict rules around quality keep standards high.
DO Rueda is most famous these days for producing zesty, fresh and fruity, un-oaked white wines made largely from the Verdejo grape, which considers Rueda to be its spiritual home. Sauvignon Blanc is it’s wing-man and a few other white varietals are now permitted into the blends, namely Viura, Palomino Fino, Viognier and Chardonnay. More experimentation is happening however with how these wines are made - and with the wines below, we can taste the difference!
Diez Siglo Rueda Verdejo
Let’s start with Verdejo. This is a classic example of type: vibrant and refreshing, with notes of hay, guava, peach and orange-lemon citrus. Catch that characteristic hint of fennel on the finish too. Yum!
Find it at Amps Wine Merchant for £9.80 a bottle.
Excellens Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Next up, let’s see what Sauvignon can do in Rueda. Bright and clean again with its famous pale green tinge, this is a fruitier style of the grape, with powerful notes of cut grass, apple, blossom, tropical fruit and herbs. We can also so a creamier weight here thanks to some ageing of the wine on its lees (dead yeast cells left over from alcoholic fermentation).
Find it at Fine Wines Direct UK for £9.89 mixed 6 price.
Amador Diez 2015
Here’s what happens in Rueda when you add some age and some oak. It was named in tribute to the winery’s (Cuatro Rayas) former president, Amador Diez de Íscar. The top of this producer’s tree, this wine is produced from the best parts of their ancient, 100 year plus pre-phylloxera vineyard. Hand made at just about every level including bottling and in very limited quantities, this is a wine made to age. If you love white Rioja, you’ll love this! Think spicy orchard fruits, quince, honey, toast and spice, all with a cool, saline kick. A fantastic splash-out bottle.
Find it at Ultracomida for £34 a bottle.
Read the full article on DO Rueda here.