Nisia, “Las Suertes” Verdejo
Over the years, a never-ending hit parade of Spanish wines have cruised past our tasting table and this effort has led us to the following belief: Spain’s surging wine renaissance has become a full-blown Golden Age. A new generation of adventurous, risk-tolerant winemakers have reclaimed forgotten vines clinging to steep mountainsides across the vast territory of Castilla y León, and this old-vine Verdejo is one thrilling experience. This palate-coating, sumptuously flavored knockout comes fully accented with Burgundian richness and tension you would expect from a Sancerre. All of the vines used for the “Nisia” are ungrafted, as this part of D.O Rueda is phylloxera resistant, due to the extremely sandy soils. It’s a parcel selection of three sites that were planted back in 1920, 1921, and 1942. The philosophy of this project is to produce authentic Verdejo the old-fashioned way, by working with traditional vineyard sites and using old-school winemaking techniques. This translates into a profound palate experience that is widely unique and proves that the Rueda is not just cheap, light summer sippers.
In the glass, this 100% Verdejo showcases an alluring vivid, greenish straw hue that draws you into a bowl of crushed white flowers, fresh peach, orange pith, and crushed ginger. Incredibly energetic on the mid-palate notes of orchard fruits, quince, pineapple, almonds, and honeysuckle. The salty mineral-driven finish is the exclamation point. Tremendous clarity and poise for the price point. This will elevate any seafood experience.