Winemaker Notes
Bodegas Shaya is located in the furthest south-east area of Rueda, near the city of Segovia. The climate there is extreme with very cold winters, late springs, and blistering summers, but the Verdejo thrives in these conditions, concentrating its flavors. Gil Family Estates owns 75 acres of old-vine, low-yield (2.5 t/ha) Verdejo grown in a goblet system in sandy soils that have a top layer of alluvial pebbles and a deeper layer of clay, which lend a marked mineral character and fresh, fruity aromas, volume and balanced acidity.
Dry-farmed, no pesticides or herbicides, hand-harvested, Vegan
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Hard to object to this appley white, which also shows poached pears and nectarines. Oily and citrusy, it trades in waxy lemon and apple-curd flavors.
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.