This is rueda from ancient vines; a terrific exponent of the appellation, which can nonetheless be acquired for under DKK 100, so here we can wave the ‘value-for-money’ flag with great confidence.
In the heart of Rueda DO lies Bodega Cuatro Rayas, one of the appellation’s most important players. They dedicate no less than 4/5 of the production to the verdejo grape.
This rueda is made from 100% verdejo from vines with an age of 80-100 years, standing in pronounced nutrient poor soil near Segovia. The fields are so suitably high that the coolness of the nights preserves a lovely acid freshness in the grapes, so that the wine effortlessly carries the grape’s intense aromas. The winery has a modern winery with the armada of stainless steel tanks needed to produce crisp Rueda. 85% of the grapes are fermented coolly on stainless steel with battonage over a period of 5 months. 15% is fermented and aged in 500 liters of French oak. The prolonged contact with the finger yeast to promote the complexity, fullness and aromatic depth of the wines.
In the glass you find – without looking – an orgy of grape and lemon, as well as gooseberry and an elderflower, exotic profile with fresh acidity in the high tone, which has given a dry, elegant wine in terms of taste. The small, intensely flavored grapes of the old vines have also contributed a complexity that is all too often absent in rueda.
Cuatro Rayas Viñedos Centenarios is lovely on its own, but it’s also a terrific food wine. Try it with salads, tapas, fish and seafood dishes. However, the wine also has enough aromatic richness to go hand in hand with the light meat dishes without being too fattening.
