Winemaker Notes
Quintaluna 2022 is a showcase of the maximum expression and freshness of authentic Segovian Verdejo. Quintaluna is a village wine that comes from the pre-phylloxera vineyard of Nieva and from vines planted through mass selections of old vines. The vines rest in sandy soils, surrounded by pine forests and with an extreme climate that gives them an extraordinary singularity and gives the wine a unique varietal typicity. Quintaluna is the sincere reflection of a terroir with centuries of winemaking history. Arenas as the guiding thread of a vineyard with an unrepeatable history. A vibrant Verdejo of genuine freshness.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Fine smoked tarragon, minerals and grilled lemons. Transparent and textured, with a medium body and a nervy finish full of dried herbs.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Quintaluna, like the previous year, was produced exclusively with grapes from younger vines in the village of Nieva, and it has the cold character of the sandy soils. It's from a year when they didn't suffer frost, but the lack of water created some blocking. The wine has freshness and elegance from the sandy soils, and the surrounding pine trees also seem to provide a needle twist that's herbal and resinous. It's vibrant and medium-bodied, with contained ripeness, 13% alcohol and a tender, faintly chalky mouthfeel. The 2022s are rounder and quite approachable. 87,357 bottles produced. It was bottled in the summer of 2023 after it spent almost one year in the fermentation tanks with the lees.
White grapes are used in two famous types of Spanish wine, Sherry and Cava, but we will limit this discussion to still whites. Let’s begin with perhaps the best known and most highly regarded internationally, Albariño . Produced in the region of Rías Baixas, just above Portugal in northwestern Spain, Albariño typically sees no or little oak and is medium to medium-plus in body. Aroma and flavor notes often include citrus and peach, often with subtle floral notes and a suggestion of sea spray, giving the wine a zesty feel. Often bottled as a single varietal, Albariño is sometimes blended with other indigenous grapes like Loureira and Treixadura. Try one of these Spanish whites from Forjas del Salnes.
Let’s look at a few other Spanish white wines. Godello also hails from northwestern Spain and presents a profile of grapefruit, minerality and a slight smoky quality. Enjoy a bottle from Bodegas Avancia. The region of Rueda, northwest of Madrid, is home to Verdejo , which makes refreshing, un-oaked white wines whose herbal vibrancy recalls Sauvignon Blanc . Protos makes a tasty version. Up north in the Basque region, we find the wine called Txakoli (sometimes called Txakolina). Pronounced “sha-ko-LEE,” it’s made from a local grape called Hondurrabi Zuri and is light, fresh, citrusy, dry … and with razor sharp acidity that makes it a fantastic partner with local seafood and tapas. Ameztoi Gertariako is a good Spanish white wine producer to check out.
The Penedѐs region, best known for the oceans of delicious Cava it sends to the world, also produces still Spanish whites, sometimes from international varieties like Chardonnay , and often from the same grapes used for Cava. These include Parellada, Xarel-lo and Macabeo. Avaline produces a fine example of Penedes white. Finally, we visit the Rioja region. While it is historically and internationally famous for its reds, Rioja also produces fine Spanish white wines. These are usually based on Viura (the local name for Macabeo) and make good everyday sippers, although some aged versions can be stunningly complex. A good place to start is the white Rioja from Bodegas Muga.
As you can see, Spanish white wines offer a vast opportunity for exploration!