The D.O. Rueda, calls the 2020 vintage an excellent vintage.
Making good wine is not always a given. You need healthy, ripe grapes and to get them, the weather plays a very important role. That is why some years the wine turns out better than others.
2020 was, in every way, a year to remember. We were overwhelmed by a pandemic and the world was at a complete standstill for a long time. However, for the winemakers in all the wine regions of the world, the work went on as usual. There is always something to do in the vineyard. Checking the grapes, removing excess leaves, churning the earth, you name it.
2020 an excellent vintage in Rueda
2020 was named excellent after extensive analysis. Previously, 2011 and 2017 were labeled excellent, so 2020 is the third vintage to bear this title.
The year started off very rainy and although this was alarming at first, it did not lead to any problems. The weather conditions were otherwise very good and the harvest began on August 22. The varieties verdejo, sauvignon blanc and recently viognier and chardonnay matured excellently and brought more complexity than previous years.
Want more background information on the D.O. Rueda? Then read my extensive article about the region and the wines here!
Time to do some tasting! I tasted three wines from the 2020 vintage.
Protos Verdejo 2020
An aromatic nose with green apples, lemon and fennel. Refreshing and juicy with the crisp acidity we have come to expect from Verdejo. The wine has beautiful ripe fruit, a good counterpart to the acidity. Round and balanced with a medium-long finish where you find a touch of bitterness. Very good price-quality ratio. This wine is delicious on a terrace, with a fresh salad and / or a piece of grilled fish.
Javier Sanz Verdejo 2020
My nose in the glass reveals a ripe and complex verdejo wine. Not a simple wine but an expressive glass from which you get a lot. Ripe aromas, pickled lemon, the recognizable green grass and green spiciness. In the mouth, the wine is full and creamy, with lots of structure. Nicely dry and very elegant with a long finish. The wine lends itself perfectly to food. Goes well with oily fish, creamy goat cheeses and well-filled salads.
Circe Verdejo 2020
The bottle stands out for its beautiful design. The expectations are high! The first impression is floral, a little topical. Recognizable green spiciness, basil and lime. In the mouth juicy, mouth filling, lots of ripe fruit. A very good glass of verdejo with a great price-quality ratio. The beautiful bottle does not detract from the wine!
Do you love Rueda wines and would you like to be the ambassador of this beautiful area? On September 20 the search for the Rueda winefluencer of 2022 starts. More information on how to participate? On the website of ruedawijnen you will find everything!
