5 Gorgeous Whites from Spain's Bodegas Menade
If you took the time to check out Wine LALA’s article on Wine, Gastronomy, and the Spanish Economy, then perhaps you caught our mention of the glorious whites of Rueda. We were lucky enough to get to spend time under the hot Spanish sun at Bodegas Menade, talking and sipping with with the vineyard manager and winemakers. Their wine selection truly is incredible.
Here are our favorites!
Bodegas Menade’s beautiful labels illustrate the creatures that contribute to the vineyards’ ecosystem. Photo credit Bodegas Menade.
Menade Verdejo Ecológico 2019 - clean and bright, with white stone fruit and dried herb notes. Zesty acid and weighty, with a touch of bitterness, roundness, and a long finish. Can usually be found for around $15.
Nosso Verdejo Natural 2019 - melon blossoms, dried citrus rind, and green and brown earthy notes on the nose blend with beeswax and a touch of cream on the palate. Made of verdejo, this wine is full and balanced. Retail approximately $27.
La Misión (pre-phylloxera) 2016 - the best of the day!! Made with verdeja, as opposed to verdejo, which is a grape that typically grows in Extremadura in southern Spain. The wine has depth and is borderline creamy - silky smooth but not overwhelmingly New World in texture. Palate notes of deep just-ripe pineapple, lemon citrus, peach, a touch of just-ripe mango, and powdery white minerality, live on during the long finish, highlighted by flashes of thyme, laurel, and fennel. La Misión may be difficult to come across in the US, however you should definitely search for it when you’re abroad or in specialty wine restaurants or retail stores.
Menade Sauvignon Ecológico 2019 - white flowers, orange blossom oil, and cinnamon essence ride on top of ripe white grapefruit, tarragon, and a soft minerality on both the nose and palate. This wine is round and finishes away cleanly. Menade Sauvignon Ecológico may be difficult to come across in the US, however you should definitely search for this when you’re abroad or in specialty wine restaurants or retail stores.
Menade Late Harvest Sauvignon Dolce Ecológico 2019 - this is for sweet wine lovers, and contains similar notes to the dry sauvignon listed above, but contains 55 g/l residual sugar, meaning it is notably sweeter but not cloyingly so, and maintains a medium body weight. The dried herb notes are pronounced and would work well with Thai basil and other Asian dishes. The wine is very light and clean. Not quite as floral as a moscato (muscat blanc) but is equally, if not more, delicate. Menade Late Harvest Sauvignon Dolce may be difficult to come across in the US, however you should definitely search for this when you’re abroad or in specialty wine restaurants retail or stores.