As I pen this column, I am celebrating the two-week anniversary of my 2nd COVID jab, meaning I am now at maximum immunity. As my peer group hits the same milestone, we are finally getting back to our pre-pandemic social gatherings, including visits to the local watering hole for some libations.
This past weekend happened to be World Verdejo Day, so I gathered the immunized members of my regular drinking companions for a backyard BBQ and wine tasting. For those not familiar with the Verdejo varietal, it is a white wine grape grown mainly in the Rueda wine region of Northern Spain. The true origins of the grape are lost to the wine-soaked mists of time, but is believed to have been brought to Spain from Northern Africa over 1000 years ago, during the era of Moorish rule over the Iberian peninsula.
I first encountered Verdejo at a delightful little sidewalk café in Barcelona many years ago, and have been enjoying it regularly ever since, thanks to wide availability here in Alberta. Verdejo wines were at the peak of their popularity in the 16th century, when they were considered so exceptional that the best vintages were reserved strictly for the Spanish Royal Court, with the peasantry resigned only to the lesser grapes of the day.
Verdejo began a slow slide into obscurity over the next few centuries, but made a comeback in the 1970s, and now accounts for 40% of the total white wine output of Spain, making it a tremendous success story.
Interestingly, Verdejo wines can be made in two distinct styles, depending on the winemakers preference. These varied flavour profiles are somewhat similar to the light crisp green apple flavours of an unoaked Chardonnay, versus a buttery and complex oaked Chardonnay.
In the case of Verdejo, the juice oxidizes very rapidly when exposed to air, so is typically picked at night when the temperature is cooler to keep the juice fresh and crisp. A careful winemaker keeps air out of the stainless steel fermentation vats, resulting in a light and aromatic white wine with citrus, lemongrass, fennel, and herbaceous notes.
When a winemaker is aiming for a more complex wine, they will partially ferment in oak barrels, which are very slightly porous, allowing minor oxidation during the aging process. The oxygenation plus the oak aging imparts a creamy mouthfeel to the wine, with notes of toasted almonds and lemon curd, which will stand up better to extended aging in the bottle.
Unsurprisingly, there is a noticeable price difference for the wines that spend time in an expensive oak barrel, with the fresh and crisp expressions typically selling for $15 at your local bottle shop, while the more complex and older wines that have spent time in oak fetching closer to $30.
I had a few bottles of each style on hand for the long-overdue backyard get-together with my regular drinking companions, and all were enjoyed both with food pairings and without. The unoaked varieties go well with chicken and fish dishes, as well as citrus salads or sharp cheeses.
The more complex flavour profiles in the oaked styles demand heartier fare for pairing, so pick a nice grilled sausage or serrano ham, or perhaps a nice Manchego cheese.
Most of the worldwide plantings of the Verdejo grape are still in the Rueda region of Spain, but Australia is an up-and-coming producer as well. We even have a single Canadian winery growing Verdejo grapes in the Okanagan Valley of BC, which I have visited several times.
Terravista Vineyards is located on the famed Naramata Bench, just outside of Penticton, and was started up by the Tennant family, long considered stars of the BC wine industry. Terravista Vineyards was built from the ground up as a little retirement project after selling their outrageously popular Black Hills Winery to Jason Priestley of Beverly Hills 90210 fame back in 2007.
Although Terravista Vineyards started small, word got around that the Tennant family were making wine again, this time specializing in the white Albariño and Verdejo grapes from Spain, and their annual production has sold out early every year since then. Since they sell out just from winery door traffic every year, the wines never make it into the Alberta liquor stores, but I make sure to pick up a case or two on my regular pilgrimages to Okanagan wine country, and with my recent vaccinations, the next trip is not far off!
