Rueda (DO)

Rueda is a wine region in Spain. It is located in Castile between the red areas Ribera del Duero and Toro and ranges in the north to the Duero. Rueda is known for its white wine. The main grape variety is Verdejo with 5380 ha in the DO allowed the grapes Verdejo, Viura ( Macabeo or ), Sauvignon Blanc and Palomino. In the year 2002 150.300 hectoliters of wine were produced, nearly a fifth of it has already been exported.

The area Rueda has a long and varied history. As Valladolid was the state capital, the wines from Rueda in the noble families living there were in great demand. Due to the infestation by phylloxera, the vineyards were totally destroyed. In rebuilding the winemakers were trying to plant high-yielding varieties, and the choice fell on the variety Palomino. The wines produced were of modest quality. Best results are achieved with sprayed wines by the type of sherry. Internationally, these wines were never observed.

The new history begins in the 1970s, as the well-known wine producer Marqués de Riscal ( Rioja ) sought an area for the cultivation of white wines with high quality requirements. The estate had previously decided a long time to grow in Rioja no more white wines, since the desired quality could not be reached there. The winemakers of Riscal Rueda were in on the advice of the famous Émile Peynaud attention to the vine Verdejo and recognized the tremendous potential of this grape with modern viticulture. Thanks to new technologies such as the rapid transport of the grapes to the cellar and the pressing of the grapes under a protective gas cushion the superior freshness of the new wine, could be preserved. The success of the new type of wine has completely changed the face of the region. Within a short time the grape variety by far the most widely grown variety in Rueda was.

The vineyards are located in the hills at an altitude of 600 to 800 meters. The better locations are generally located closer to the Duero. The typical strong gravelly soils allow only small yields, but bring a strong mineral notes in the wine.

As part of a revision of the concept of Cava Rueda lost the right to the cultivation of this sparkling wine. There is therefore a new D.O. Rueda Espumoso that produces sparkling wine made from a minimum of 85 % Verdejo and thus introduces a new way. Meanwhile, experiments with red wines and rosés are made.

Since 2013, the wine region Rueda is one with a total of 54 wineries and 74 municipalities of the Spanish Association of Wine Routes Acevin.