2023 Bodegas Naia - Verdejo Naia (750ml)

Bodegas Naia was established in 2002 in La Seca, the historic heart of the Rueda region, with a singular focus on capturing the character of the original Verdejo clone. The winery centers its work on old, gobelet-trained Verdejo vines, some of them ungrafted and pushing past ninety years of age, and has quickly become a benchmark for the variety.

The grapes for this bottling come from close to a hundred acres in La Seca, most planted around a quarter-century ago alongside a small parcel of ungrafted vines that predate phylloxera. After fermentation, the wine rests on its lees for four months with daily stirring, and while most of it ages in stainless steel, roughly thirty percent spends time in French oak barrels of varying sizes to add depth and texture.

The wine offers aromas of green apple, fennel, and citrus, with a note of stone fruit running through the nose. On the palate it is dry, broad, and creamy, with bright acidity and a subtle bitter edge on the finish. It pairs beautifully with sushi, grilled sole, or a fresh herb salad.