Verdejo: (ver-day-ho)
Rueda: (Roo-ay-da)
The verdejo grape has been grown in Spain for over a thousand years.
Its ancient history plays out in Rueda, in the province of Castile-Leon.
Castile-Leon’s landscape is dotted with ancient stone castles,
monuments of battles that would eventually unify Spain.
The Moors occupied much of what we call modern-day Spain for several centuries.
In the tenth century the people of Castile-Leon drove the Moors south to the Straights of Gibraltar.
As the Moors retreated they scorched the earth with fire and left the land of Castile-Leon uninhabitable.
The damaged province sat abandoned and barren for over one hundred years.
When the people of Castile-Leon finally
moved back to their land they found the native verdejo grape.
Unfortunately, the techniques for making wine from this grape had been forgotten.
Verdejo oxidizes quickly, imparting flavors of the dried fruit and pressed flowers,
quickly causing the wine to taste flat and stale. It was because of this oxidation
that verdejo was deemed a vegetable, delicious when picked from the vine, but unsuitable for wine.
While Spain was unifying, the Moors still held the Straights of Gibraltar and Jerez,
the area where Sherry is made. Sherry had been a highly regarded wine for centuries,
but the Moors halted its production. Looking for ways to bolster its economy,
the new assembly of Spain looked to the native white grape of Rueda,
verdejo, as the natural choice for making Sherry-like wines.
Solera wines made from verdejo were received favorably by the wine-drinking world,
which put Rueda back on the map as a wine region.
Rueda’s popularity remained with the sherry drinkers for hundreds of years,
even after Spain had regained Jerez in the fifteenth century.
Rueda profited on Sherry’s reputation until the phylloxera epidemic took hold in
the early twentieth century. After the phylloxera aphid destroyed Rueda’s vineyards,
Jerez took back the Sherry market.
While its history is fascinating,
verdejo has never tasted better than it does today.
Modern Rueda creates crisp, floral, citrus-like white wines.
To keep verdejo’s flavor fresh, a layer of inert gas is poured over
the grapes as they are picked and again as they are crushed.
This contemporary technique is a rebirth to an ancient grape.
Verdejo was trendy as a fortified wine for hundreds of years,
only to lose its popularity to an aphid, but technology gave verdejo
a fresh face and a new page for the Spanish wine history books.
Case Discounts
Libations Wine & Spirits offers 10% discount on all cases of wine mix or match.
Join us most Wednesdays to sample wine, beer, and spirits in-store, at no charge.
Every Wednesday from 4:30pm to 7:00pm we pour samples for you.
Join us on selected Fridays too.
Upcoming Tasting Events
April 1, 2009
Spring Break in Spain!
Fuente Elvira Verdejo - $12.69
90 points
International Wine Cellar
Don Ramon Garnacha/Tempranillo - $9.99
El Arte d Vivir Ribera del Duero - $13.99
90 points
International Wine Cellar
Pablo Menguante Garnacha - $11.59
89 points
Wine Advocate
April 8, 2009
Easter feast recommendations!
Wine to pair with ham, turkey, prime rib, and more.
BR Cohn Carneros Chardonnay, California - $20.99
La Playa Cabernet Sauvignon Rose, Chile - $9.49
Boom Boom Syrah, Washington State - $18.49
Mumm Napa Blanc de Noir Sparkling, California - $19.99
89 point
Wine Enthusiast
SPECIAL PRICING DURING TASTING HOURS
Wednesday tasting hours are 4:30 to 7:00 pm.
Each sample is a one ounce portion to adults 21 and older.
Limit four different samples per person.
Libations Wine and Spirits is a full service liquor store serving
Aurora, Parker, Centennial, and Littleton, Colorado.
Libations has a comprehensive wine inventory, award winning beer selections,
all of your favorite spirits and few unusual items as well.
Whether you are driving from the DTC, (Denver Tech Center), downtown Denver, Parker,
or Eagle Bend, Libations is on your way home.
We are located in Southeast Aurora, near Cherry Creek Reservoir, at Arapahoe Crossings.
Our staff are knowledgeable about wine, beer, liqueurs, and spirits, and are
always eager to serve you.
You must be 21 years or older to shop at Libations Wine & Spirits.
Libations Wine & Spirits
Arapahoe & Parker Roads
Northeast corner at Arapahoe Crossings
6554 South Parker Road, Aurora, Colorado 80016
Monday - Saturday, 10am to 10pm
Sunday from 11am to 6pm
Phone: 303-766-0575
info@libationswines.com
libationswines.com
coupon
They embrace their ample sun shine and are big fans of new oak barrels,
both monikers of new world wine.