My wife Brenda and I enjoy drinking wine. Please join us on our journeys in tasting and trying many of the great wines that are available to us here in the United States of America. With the warm weather rolling in here on the coast of North Carolina, we decided to start trying some crispy whites for the Spring and Summer.
Today we tried for the first time a Verdejo (pronounced "Varr-dey-ho") from Rueda, Spain. We found it at Costco in Wilmington, NC and decided to take a chance on it as we had heard it was a pleasant white wine as a change of pace from Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc wines we are used to. We purchased a 2021 Cuatro Rayas Verdejo rated 90 points by Wine Enthusiast. Verdejo is a white grape variety from Spain that has been around for 100+ years. It is mainly found in the Rueda region of Spain. The vineyard producing this wine is made by the Cuatro Rayas winery in the D.O. Rueda, in Valladolid, Spain. The characteristics from this white grape are its high acidity and bright flavors. The label on the back of the bottle discusses “Night Harvest". From the label: "The Pago of "Cuatro Rayas" which lends its name to our most global wine, is an enclave where four villages deeply rooted in wine-making intersect. Elaborated entirely with grapes of the Verdejo variety all from night harvest, this wine makes a classic paring with fish and shellfish or, with its great structure in the mouth, daring with roasts and grilled meats."
This wine did not disappoint us when we tried it with baked dry rub pork spare ribs prepared by Brenda. The wine exhibited citrusy flavors of lime and lemon, peach and surprisingly, a hint of coconut on this crisp wine. Even though it had a crispy taste, it also had a really appealing smooth feel on the tongue.
The wine is reasonably priced and we feel would make a great summer wine as a stand alone on hot days. Priced around the $10 range, it is also a great deal for such a nice wine. We recommend you buy a bottle or two, you won't be disappointed in its flavor and taste. We know we'll be enjoying it this Summer.
Comments