White Wines from Iberia, Spain

Although white wines are not as popular in Spain and Portugal, there are several white options worth experiencing.  These wines come from a variety of regions and offer a surprising number of unique flavors and characters.

Inland from Galicia is a region called Castilla y Leon. Far from the sea and surrounded by mountains, it's a rough, hardy region known more for thick, heavy reds than light whites.  It claims one white wine as one of Spain's best. Rueda is the appellation that follows the Duero River here in Castilla y Leon; the grape is called Verdejo.

Rueda whites are light and drunk fresh the year after their vintage date. The pale green-white color offers a lemon flavor with an herbal edge, not unlike that of Sauvignon Blanc; in fact, in recent years it's often been blended with Sauvignon Blanc, a recent import to the region. They seem designed to be a thirst quencher in the hot summer months and Rueda whites match fabulously with light fish and vegetable dishes, too. Good Rueda runs about $8 to $15.

For a more sophisticated taste and texture, wine lovers should look for a white Rioja.  Outstanding white Rioja is difficult to find and will cost two or three times that of a lower quality Rioja's $8 price tag. Thirty dollars isn't bad, though, for a white wine with a texture like satin that offers everything from toasted almond notes to ripe pears, honey, spice, butterscotch, fresh mushrooms, and gets more interesting every year.

The main grape used to make white Rioja is Viura (also known as Macabeo), a grape used more for its hardiness than its flavor. Better Rioja incorporates at least a little Malvasia, a grape with sweet stone fruit flavors and floral characteristics as graceful as its name sounds.

Some Rioja take a cue from the old style of white Rioja, and are briefly aged in oak barrels. This fills them with vanilla and nut flavors that add weight and substance. True old-style Rioja is made this way but not released for several years, by which time it will have turned golden and spicy and added complexity to its flavor. These sorts of Rioja are sophisticated and detailed enough to warrant white-tablecloth treatment, particularly with scallops in brown butter or other rich, buttery seafood.

For more information on wines go to VinoList - The Wine Database

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