Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
All Verdejo, the 2021 Nisia is cut from the same cloth and has vibrant yellow fruits, citrus blossom, honeysuckle, and floral notes in its medium-bodied, clean, lively, pretty style. It's slightly fresher and more medium-bodied compared to the richer 2020. This cuvee spent 6 months in a mix of neutral puncheons and demi-muids.
-
James Suckling
Sliced green apple, lemon zest and white almond on the nose with a crisp and bright profile of yellow and green fruit on the palate. Elegant and fresh-toned.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2021 Vatan Nisia Verdejo Old Vines is delicate and pleasing from start to finish. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers aromas and flavors of stone fruits and a hint of flowers. Pair it with a Cantonese chicken salad with pickled scallions, sesame oil, and a sprinkle of red chili flakes. (Best Served: 2022-2025)
Verdejo is one of Spain’s most historic white grapes, as it has been in production since the Roman times, several thousand years ago. After over fifteen years as the lead producer of quality Verdejo in Spain, Ordóñez chose Puras, Valladolid, as the best appellation within Rueda for growing Verdejo. This isolated corner of the D.O. is home to sandy soils intermixed with river stones that were deposited tens of thousands of years ago when the Duero river was several hundred miles wide. Due to the sandy soils, this sub-appellation of Rueda, shaped like Italy’s boot, resisted the phylloxera. Bodegas Ordóñez takes advantage of this unique terroir to produce wine from its ungrafted vineyards, the oldest of which was planted in 1885. Jorge’s philosophy is to age all of their wines sur lie and barrel fermented in both stainless steel and large format, mostly used French oak.
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.