CH I / THE WINES
Verdejo
2025
rueda / verdejo /
Rueda, the essence of the original verdejo
Estate vineyards and profound aromatic expression
This wine is born from a rigorous selection of our own vineyards in exceptional terroirs such as Foncastín, Torreduero, Los Curas and Hornillos, where poor, gravelly soils predominate, interspersed with significant limestone outcrops at medium and high elevations. We also incorporate fruit from old vines —some exceeding sixty years of age— with very low yields and varied planting densities. Vinification is conducted under strict temperature control. Following an extended maceration, natural settling ensures the must begins fermentation unfiltered, preserving its vitality and purity. Fermentation proceeds spontaneously with indigenous-selected yeasts from the vineyard itself. Batonnage is performed with utmost delicacy over the finest lees, seeking greater aromatic complexity, enhanced texture and mouthfeel. A subtle contribution from French oak barrel fermentation (approximately 5% of the final blend) adds structure and nuance without compromising freshness.
METICULOUS VINEYARD SELECTION
Rippa Dorii Verdejo is a pure monovarietal expression, drawn from carefully chosen parcels where the grapes ripen beneath a sky that alternates warm sunlight with cool, whispering breezes. The stony, limestone-flecked soils impart a distinctive mineral signature, while timely rainfall and short but intense summers bestow upon each cluster a vibrant freshness allied to perfectly balanced ripeness. Vinification respects and elevates the variety’s intrinsic character: low-temperature fermentation, natural clarification to safeguard purity, and a discreet 5% component aged in barrel for added depth and refinement, while the balance matures in stainless steel to preserve its innate vivacity.
IDEAL FOOD PAIRINGS
Its bracing freshness, crisp acidity and underlying structure render it an exemplary companion across a wide spectrum of cuisines. With fish —whether simply grilled, baked or presented as ceviche— the wine accentuates delicacy without overpowering; think turbot, sea bass or lightly cured salmon, where its acidity cuts through richness and its citrus-herbaceous notes provide a refreshing counterpoint. With shellfish (prawns, langoustines, clams) the synergy is even more seamless: the saline minerality of the seafood finds perfect harmony with the wine’s own marine-like minerality and lively tension. For more adventurous palates, it excels alongside fusion dishes blending Asian or Mediterranean influences —a lime-spiked fish ceviche or seafood risotto, for instance. Its versatility extends to light white meats (herb-roasted chicken) and vegetable preparations such as quiches or savoury tarts.
TASTING NOTES
Appearance: Bright straw-yellow with subtle greenish glints.
Nose: Highly intense and expressive. Dominant aromas of white stone fruit and bright citrus, interwoven with distinctive fennel notes and a characteristic aniseed-balsamic undercurrent.
Palate: Fresh and fruit-driven entry, followed by an unctuous, almost gourmand mid-palate with elegant volume and notable structure. The classic, noble bitter finish so emblematic of Verdejo emerges cleanly, leading to remarkable persistence and a complex, lingering retronasal. Outstanding balance between alcohol and acidity.
Viticulture
We select grapes from our own vineyards in Torreduero, Los Curas and Hornillos where the poor, gravelly soils dominate, with major outcrops of limestone at medium and high altitudes. Dry, fresh zones which favour a wonderful blend of the different kinds of soil which characterise the DO Rueda appellation: platforms of smooth pebbles and soils with carpets of stones. We also include grapes from old vines with very low yields, over sixty years’ old and with varying planting densities.
Harvest 2025
The growing season was defined by an exceptional hydrological year, with rainfall doubling or even tripling the annual average (300–400 mm). Following a historic budbreak, the humidity led to localized mildew and sporadic hail which, combined with summer water stress, resulted in a lower production volume. However, this reduction was instrumental in elevating quality, yielding berries with higher concentration. Thanks to a warm summer and a slow, progressive ripening period, the grapes achieved optimal balance. The final sanitary conditions were excellent, as fungal pressure was limited to the early cycle, allowing the fruit to reach the winery with intense aromatic charge and uniform maturity.
Elaboration
Natural débourbage and fermented with its own lees
Harvesting is at night to maintain the maximum freshness of the grapes on reception in the winery. It is partly mechanised and in the oldest vineyards, by hand with crates. The way of working involves methodical, rigorous selection of the grapes before they reach the winery.
The entire process is carried out with strict cold temperature control. After a long maceration, a natural racked is carried out to ensure the start of fermentation without passing through any filter and to keep the must alive and without impurities.
Fermentation is spontaneous and the punching down work is carried out with extreme gentleness on the finest lees to seek more complex aromas, greater unctuousness and volume in the mouth.
To complete the process and to increase the quality of the wine, verdejo that has fermented in barrels is added to the final blend ( 5% of the total coupage ).
Grape varieties
Verdejo single grape.
Vintages
Tasting
Colour.
On the eye you can see a straw yellow colour with greenish glints and golden iridescence, with a very bright and clear sheen.
Aroma.
On the nose it is a wine with great intensity, balsamic aniseed aromas, with fennel, white-fleshed and citrus fruit and reminders of tropical fruit.
Taste.
Alcohol.
13,5 % Alc. by Vol.
Serving and storage temperature.
Best served at 7-11ºC