The emergence of Rueda as a prestigious white wine region is the story of a unique grape called Verdejo. Although among only a small handful of truly noble Spanish white varieties, it was in danger of extinction by the early 1970's due to pervasive planting of more prolific grapes such as Viura and Palomino. Angel Rodríguez saved the shy-bearing, thick-skinned Verdejo by his stubborn refusal to
uproot his 17th Century vineyard, Martinsancho. The vineyard is all bush grown, organic, un-irrigated and cropped at very low levels. The original vines, some over 200 years old (!) still bear fruit. Two glass lined tanks of 20,000 liters are used for fermentation, the wine subsequently transferred underground for clarification and rounding in the cellars. These cellars incidentally are extremely cold and this enables Rodríguez to use no sulphur during winemaking while the wine slowly matures on lees in huge, 100 year old oak vats. The finished wine is fresh and racy with floral, spicy aromatics (we regularly hear comparisons with Riesling & Sauvignon on the nose) and yet is also textural and fleshy in the mouth. Production of Martinsancho is under 2,000 cases.

“Green-tinged gold. Deep, pungent aromas of floral honey, pear, green papaya and salty
minerals. Weighty orchard fruit and herb flavors are brightened by notes of orange peel and minerals, with a deeper honeyed quality on the back. Really stains the palate, showing excellent breadth and lingering spice and floral notes.” 90 Points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar.

Certified Organic
Preservative-Free