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Gran Vino de Rueda sets bar high for Verdejo

Wines that qualify for the designation, which will be granted a special gold and black back label, will have to be produced from vines older than 30 years, with maximum yields of 6,500kg/ha.

Formal tastings to classify the first Gran Vino de Rueda already began back in April, with tasters from the DO Rueda tasting committee giving their seal of approval to an initial tranche of wines, with the official launch more recently announced this May in Madrid.

“The objective is for the area’s winemakers to experiment and achieve the maximum potential of the permitted varieties, and especially of our native grape, the Verdejo. We want to demonstrate its versatility and ageing capacity, making wines that position the Rueda brand among fine dining,” said Carmen San Martín, president of DO Rueda.

The new category also looks to bring a focus onto the importance of older vines while helping “preserve the area’s heritage”, according to the DO.

“Our Gran Vino de Rueda adds value for consumers, whom we hope to stun at a domestic and international level,” added San Martín.

“With this initiative, we continue to meet the requirements of an increasingly educated consumer, who puts their faith in the quality of DO Rueda wines, which continues to flourish.”

Rueda is the third biggest wine-producing DO in Spain, after Rioja and Ribera del Duero, delivering 12.8m/kg of fruit in 2020, making it by far the largest white wine region in the country, with Verdejo to the fore. 

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