Region Of The Week: Rueda
Located in the Castilla y León region in northern Spain, Rueda DO has a history of winemaking that stretches back to the Middle Ages. Spanning across a little under 20,000 hectares, Rueda sits in the depression formed by the Duero River Valley. With flat fields and a continental climate, Rueda tends to have long, cold winters and hot, dry summers.
Historically, Rueda was a predominately red wine region, but with the phylloxera epidemic, they transitioned to white wines. Up until 1970, Rueda was best known for Palomino Fino grapes, which are used to make sherry in Jerez. Now, their flagship grape is Verdejo, which originated from North Africa, and makes up at least 85% of Rueda Verdejo wines, although producers typically make 100% Verdejo wines. Other white wine varietals found in Rueda DO are Sauvignon Blanc, Viura, Palomino Fino, Viognier, while the red wines are made from Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.
