By Rose Murray Brown MW    Published in The Scotsman 23 August 2025

 

Spain’s biggest selling white wine region is still surprisingly undiscovered outside the country, but word is starting to get out.  Rueda can make superb vibrant crisp lively white wines at great value prices – and its refreshingly affordable wines are starting to become staple summer aperitifs for wine-lovers across the world.

 

Two hours north of Madrid, near Castile y Leon’s beautiful capital of Valladolid, Rueda lies on the high altitude plains of north-central Spain.  Its neighbouring regions, the two famous big red regions, Toro and Ribera del Duero, are perhaps better known – but sandwiched between these two, just south of the river Duero, is Spain’s premier white wine region, Rueda.

 

Vines are planted up to 870m here.  The light is starkly bright so high in altitude – with diurnal temperature shifts from hot days to cool nights which retains acidity in the grapes enabling Rueda’s 70 wineries to make crisp dry white wines.  But, interestingly, Rueda’s history was very different and it has only recently become known for white wines.

Vineyard in Rueda

This area was largely abandoned after it was burned during the retreat of the Moors in the Reconquista.  Viticulture began slowly again in C11 when Verdejo grape was introduced, but up until the late C20, Rueda was known for fortified wines made from Palomino.

 

The dramatic change began when a Frenchman & a Spaniard identified this area as being ideal for the Verdejo grape in the 1970s.  These men, Marques de Riscal of Rioja fame and his French consultant Professor Emile Peynaud, had been nurturing little known almost-extinct Verdejo grape and looking for a place to make quality white wines in Spain.

 

Riscal and Peynaud’s hunch was right.  Today 87% of Rueda is planted with the hardy drought and sunburn-resistant Verdejo.  Almost the entire plantings of this grape in the world are now in Rueda, with 11,500 hectares after the recent planting boom.  So as this grape is almost only found here, with only a little planted in Chile, Australia and La Mancha in Spain, Rueda can offer the wine-lover something unique.

The town of Rueda

Tastewise, Verdejo has more texture than Viura, another Spanish white grape grown in the region.  Verdejo produces fleshy juicy zesty dry whites with herby character and slight nuttiness developing with age.

 

In Rueda, Verdejo makes an excellent varietal wine – labelled Rueda Verdejo.  You might also see a label stating Rueda Sauvignon Blanc, another grape introduced by Riscal.  If the label just states Rueda, it will be a blend of the two grapes – and maybe others like Chardonay or Viognier, authorised since 2019.

 

Nowadays there is only a tiny amount of the Palomino grape growing in Rueda’s vineyards – and only a handful of producers here still make this unique fortified wine called ‘Dorado’.

Rueda is a region which successfully changed focus 50 years ago – and is now attracting big investors from across Spain from Torres, Ramon Bilbao, Codorniu to Freixenet.  There are also many small family artisan producers like Jose Pariente or new small grower groups like Diez Siglos – all keenly experimenting with the Verdejo grape.  Interestingly, Rueda also has a growing band of women winemakers and directors.

 

My feeling is that Rueda is at its best as pure 100% unoaked Verdejo.  Its limey grapefruit flavours and grassy notes appeal to Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay lovers.  Some wineries experiment with fermenting in concrete eggs and long lees ageing to enhance mouthfeel and creaminess.  Older vines work well in oaked Rueda, but these weightier examples are best with food rather than as aperitifs.

 

RUEDA WINES TO TRY:

 

 

SPARKLING VERDEJO

Palacio de Bornos Rueda Brut Nature NV

£17.95 www.ultracomida.co.uk

Well-made traditional method fizz based on Verdejo; greengage fruits & almond notes

 

UNOAKED SAUVIGNON BLANC

Jose Pariente Rueda Sauvignon Blanc 2024

£16 www.bascofinefoods.com

One of Rueda’s best Sauvignon Blancs from winemaker Victoria Pariente; grassy minerally with lush ripe fruits.

 

UNOAKED VERDEJO

Asda Extra Special Rueda Verdejo 2024 ***GOOD VALUE***

£6.73 Asda

Light gentle introduction to Verdejo’s vibrancy and herby notes.

 

Marques de Riscal Rueda Verdejo 2024

£12 Majestic Wine

Good standard bearer showing rich kiwi and passionfruit with herbal understones.

 

Finca Montepedroso Rueda Verdejo 2024  ***STAR BUY***

£14.50 Strictly Wine; Hic!; Hay Wines

Our tasters favourite; sleek elegant generously fruity with fine length.

 

OAKED VERDEJO

Cuatro Rayas Longverdejo Centenarios 2023

£19 Fine Wine Co Portobello

Subtle oak notes give a light smoky undertone to this vibrant white made from 100 year old vines.

 

FORTIFIED VERDEJO

De Alberto ‘Dorado’ Verdejo NV  ***STAR BUY***

£31 www.aawines.co.uk

A revelation!  Similar to a dry amontillado sherry style made using oxidative ageing in demi-johns and oak casks; deliciously nutty and figgy: 17.5% alcohol.

 

 

Join Rose’s Wine Tastings at Topping Booksellers to celebrate her new book ‘A Taste for Wine’

3 November St Andrews & 10 November Edinburgh

www.toppingbooks.co.uk