The 2014 Verdejo from Finca Montepedroso is pure Verdejo sourced from the higher altitude zone in Rueda where the soils are alluvial. They swim against the flow to produce a wine that wants to showcase the variety; no Sauvignon Blanc is used, and it displays its rusticity but also its ability to develop in bottle. They harvest early to keep the acidity, and to give it more volume they keep the wine with the lees for five months. The wine was not bottled until March 2015. The nose is fresh and subtle with austere aromas (nothing tropical here), with notes of freshly cut grass, orange peel and something citric. The palate is fresh and with good acidity; it is still young and unevolved. I had the chance to taste 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 next to it to check consistency and aging potential, and the wines develop nicely at least five years after the vintage, turning deeper, mellow and with musky aromas of grapefruit, hay, straw, quince, a touch of yeast, camphor and smoke that reminded me of aged Cava. The pineapple notes that I saw in the 2013 last year were completely gone. Moreover, the character of each vintage showed very clear in the wines, as it should be. Bravo Lauren! The 120,000 bottles produced.

Fresh and focused, this white shows juicy peach, grapefruit and fennel flavors, with racy acidity giving way to a refreshing bitter note on the finish. Drink now through 2017. 500 cases imported.??–TM??Region: Spain / Rueda Select to Add