Verdejo grape

The Verdejo is a white grapevine variety resulting from the crossing of the white varieties Castellana Blanca and Savagnin (also known as Traminer), originating from Castilla y León and northern Italy respectively. The Verdejo grape likely originated in North Africa and spread to the Rueda region (Castilla y León) around the 11th century, possibly through the Mozarabs, following the conquest of Toledo.

Ampelography

It is a low-vigor variety with an upright growth habit and a medium vegetative cycle, including bud break and ripening. The bunches are small to medium in size, compact, and have a very short peduncle. The berries are greenish-yellow, medium-sized, and spherical or elliptical in shape. The skin is thick, the pulp is greenish, and the seeds are relatively large.

It is listed under number 12,949 in the Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC), a database of various species and varieties of the Vitis genus.

Agronomic characteristics

It is a plant perfectly adapted to climatic region III of the Winkler-Amerine heat summation index¹ and to poor, stony soils, being resistant to drought and high temperatures. Long pruning and trellis training are recommended to achieve acceptable yields.

It is highly susceptible to powdery mildew.

The variety is widely grown in Castilla y León (especially in the Rueda region, where it is the main variety with 19,892 hectares), Castilla-La Mancha, and Extremadura. It can also be found in small quantities in Catalonia and Murcia.

Oenological characteristics

The Verdejo grape produces pale yellow wines with intense varietal aromas of undergrowth and tropical fruits, with a delicate background of fennel and anise.

Verdejo wines are moderately alcoholic, with medium-high acidity and a slightly bitter finish. Their good structure allows for fermentation and ageing in oak barrels.

Synonyms

The Verdejo grape is also known as botó de gall, botón de gallo blanco, cepa de madrigal, gouvelo, verdal del país, verdeja, verdeja blanca, verdejo pálido and verdelho.

¹ Climatic index calculated by summing effective daily mean temperatures from April 1 to October 30. An effective Winkler-Amerine heat summation of 2,000 °C is sufficient for a region to be suitable for vine cultivation.