Wine with Leslie: A look at some lesser known Spanish whites

This week I focus on two Spanish grape varieties that do not get nearly enough love 

Recommendations are all from north western Spain — four fruity, crisp verdejos and two juicy ripe mencías.

Sales of Spanish wines continue to be very strong in Ireland, especially the better-known wines such as albariño from Rias-Baixas and tempranillo and tempranillo blends from Ribera del Duero and Rioja. This week however I focus on two Spanish grape varieties that do not get nearly enough love — verdejo and mencía.

Verdejo is the principal grape of Rueda and I will be hosting a Rueda tasting (Nov 29) in L’Atitude 51 wine bar on Union Quay, with Beverley and team providing food to match, my first such night there since before Covid so I’m hugely looking forward to it.

The Rueda appellation covers around 16,000 ha just over an hour’s drive NW of Madrid, on high mountain plains rising 800m above sea level, to the west of Ribera del Duero, with Toro to the east. Stuck between these two fashionable red wine regions, it wisely produces almost exclusively white wine, 85% of which is from the verdejo grape.

Verdejo was once used to produce a rancio style of wine called dorado but there are only a couple of producers left — the best ones taste like a dry amontillado. Verdejo likely originates in Rueda and is well suited to the low fertility alluvial soils made from pebbly clay, sand and gravel.

The citrus and herbal scents in verdejo are always pleasing, even in lesser examples, and you will find bay leaf, fennel, star anise, and almond aromas mixed with pear, apple, lemon, and guava.

Recommendations below are all from north western Spain — four fruity, crisp verdejos and two juicy ripe mencías. Mencía is not nearly as common in Ireland as I would like — it is found in Galicia (Valdeorras and Ribeira Sacra) and in Bierzo. Always bright and fruit-driven, and with a lip-smacking freshness that works on its own or with everything from cheese burgers to beef wellington.

For the diary

• Rueda Wine & Food Evening: L’Atitude 51, Cork. Tuesday, November 29, 7pm, €40. Booking: latitude51.ie or 021-2390215.
• Best of Spain Consumer Tasting: 30 Award-Winning Spanish Producers in the Gresham Hotel, Dublin, November 23, 6-8pm; €15 via EventBrite.

Wine Under €15 

Diez Siglos Verdejo 2020

Diez Siglos Verdejo 2020, Rueda, Spain - €11.40 

Stockist: Curious Wines Cork; www.curiouswines.ie 

This is reduced from €14.50 until the New Year, and is a total steal at this low price. Floral and tropical fruit aromas with sweet pear and apple notes, crisp on the palate with some herbal notes on the finish. Not as richly textured as some other Verdejo but a good introduction to the grape.

Marques de Riscal Verdejo

Marques de Riscal Verdejo, Rueda, Spain - €13.95 - 14.95 

Stockists: JJ O’Driscolls, Donnybrook Fair, O’Briens, Sweeneys, Independents

Marques de Riscal arrived in Rueda in 1970 to grow Sauvignon, but then they discovered the local Verdejo. Their own vineyards are organic as are 50% of the grapes they buy. Classic herbal, citrus, lemon-lime aromas, creamy lemon on the palate, crisp and fresh with a bitter bitter lemon kick on the finish.

DeAlberto Organic Verdejo

DeAlberto Organic Verdejo, Rueda, Spain - €13.95 

Stockist: O’Briens Off-Licences Nationwide 

The de Alberto winery is 350 years old and still produces a rancio Dorado style not unlike a fine Oloroso — sadly not imported here. This is reduced from €15.45 — bright lemon and herbal-tinged apple aromas with a touch of fennel, fruity, textured and fresh lingering lemon zest and lemon pith notes.

Wines Over €15 

Flor de Vetus Verdejo

Flor de Vetus Verdejo, Rueda, Spain - €18.99 

Stockists: Cinnamon Cottage Cork; Fallon & Byrne; Granary Food Store Midleton; www.wineonline.ie 

This is a bit more serious than the wines above — grown at altitude (800-930m) on sandy soils this is left on the lees (dead yeast cells) for longer to add textural complexity. Floral peach and citrus aromas, creamy and lively on the palate with soft pulpy fruit flavours and a brisk citrus-infused finish.

Tolo do Xisto Mencía, Ribeira Sacra

Tolo do Xisto Mencía, Ribeira Sacra, Spain - €19.95 

Stockist: O’Briens stores nationwide 

This is reduced from €25 until the New Year. Tolo do Xisto means ‘Mad About Schist’ (a type of slate) which is dominant in the soils here. Aromatic and fruity with black cherries and pomegranates and a touch of black pepper, bright juicy and floral on the palate with minerality and complexity despite its supreme drinkability.

Guímaro Blanco Organic, Ribeira Sacra

Guímaro Blanco Organic, Ribeira Sacra, Spain - €21-22.00 

Stockists: MacCurtain St. Wine cellar; Green Man Wines; Mortons, Baggot St. Wines; Corkscrew; www.StationtoStation.ie 

I praised the Guimaro Godello Blanco a few months back and their Mencía is equally impressive and at a fair price for the quality. This is juicy and fruit-driven with all the violet scents and berry fruits you could hope for — serve a little cooler for best effect. StationToStation wines include it in their excellent 'Mencía Madness' 6 pack offer for €114.

Beer of the Week

 

Rye River Dambuster Double IPA

Rye River Dambuster Double IPA 500ml 8% ABV - €3.65 

Stockists: SuperValu, Centra, Castle Tralee, McHughs, Independents and some multiples

This has not been an easy couple of years for the beer industry here but Rye River seem to be doing fine with profits up 11% in 2021. They sent me a selection of beers earlier this year to try and I confess I delayed tasting this as I’m not normally the biggest fan of Double IPAs.

I was wrong, this totally charmed me and tasted considerably lighter and fresher than its 8% ABV. Malty and biscuity on the nose with pine and citrus aromas and with lots of hop influence in evidence from Mosaic and Cascade (particularly) plus Columbus and Chinook. Crisp, refreshing and flavourful.