Sauvignon remains useful prop for Verdejo to ease Rueda's path into the UK

By David Furer

Published: 20 June, 2016

In the wake of the previous decade's economic fallout, the once-booming Rueda region?like many others in Spain?has enjoyed a slow but steady recovery as it struggles to keep its prices buoyed while pursuing importers, shelf space and list placements

Rueda's heritage of working with the white Verdejo sets it apart from other areas as the indigenous variety is best found and most widely planted here.

However, in a race to fill a presumed niche it's placed some emphasis on the relative newcomer Sauvignon blanc, introduced in despite it never matching the perception of value of those from the Loire or New Zealand.

1.3 million bottles of Rueda are sold annually in the UK, the fourth European market after Germany, Holland, and Switzerland and roughly the same level of the US.

"We're increasing our distribution channels in the UK, but it has to be more convinced that Verdejo is a unique, quality white wine when general market perception doesn't expect Spain to have a quality white wine," Santiago Mora, director of its Consejo Regulador, said.

"The UK doesn't understand that Verdejo is unique, but we first want it to know of Rueda terroir, the ten centuries of working with the climate and soil?something that cannot be obtained elsewhere."

Mora's pleased with the path forged by Sauvignon Blanc, which Rueda has worked with for 30 years. "While it's not indigenous we've been successful receiving good prices for what's a more known variety."

He sees the way forward in working with UK sommeliers by developing a co-promotional plan with Ribera del Duero, a form already finding success in the US.

"The common point between us being the River Duero and that each DO produces approximately the same volume of wine," he continued.

Exporting to 80 countries, with Gonzalez Byass steering it in the UK, staff at Bodegas Ermina are finding greater success in the US, which has been quicker to accept Rueda's fresh and aromatic Verdejo than the UK. The experience echoes Mora's comments about the difficulty of introducing straight Verdejo in the UK.

Ermina's intention for the UK has been focusing on Sauvignon Blanc because the variety enjoys greater consumer recognition. Looking ahead, the "big picture" is that Rueda is firmly identified with Verdejo more than any other Spanish wine region, while capturing attention from markets which are less open to accepting relatively unknown varieties. In these markets, the region still sees Sauvignon Blanc as a "wedge" to help ease its path in to the market.

The Traditional Way

Menade is both the name of the 50ha home vineyard as well a brand. Growing older Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc biodynamically around the village of Rueda, sixth generation winemaker Ricardo Sanz vinifies each of his family's eight plots of their 190ha separately with 10% usually fermented on skins.

Sanz prefers to characterize Verdejo as 'rustic' rather than aromatic grape, saying "it's a wine with nerve and power." His non-vintage Fina Latina is just that with an oxidized but balanced palate, far finer than expected from grapes culled from 100+ old vines and vinified in native clay jars called 'tinajas', then bottled unfiltered.

Even regional stalwart Javier Sanz has entered into reviving the past with more modern means by researching then initiating five hectares of a recuperated Verdejo clone, the late-ripening Malcorta, then dedicating a single bottling to it which retains brighter acidity?a critical point in this increasingly warm region?as well as a deliciously vibrant palate.

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