Cuatro Rayas Fermentado en Barrica 2024

Cuatro Rayas Fermentado en Barrica is a barrel-fermented Verdejo from Bodega Cuatro Rayas in D.O. Rueda, in Valladolid. The fruit comes from hand-picked plots more than thirty years old, whose deeper roots and lower yields give concentration and balance. Rueda is a high, continental plateau with wide day-to-night temperature swings that preserve Verdejo's acidity and aromatic character. Rather than the crisp tank style the region is known for, this wine ferments in French Allier and American oak barrels and rests about six months on its lees, with periodic stirring. Fermenting in wood and stirring the lees builds volume and a silky texture, while the barrel adds oak spice and gentle oxygen; the lees also protect Verdejo's fruit through the process. The wine is certified organic and vegan. The colour is a bright pale gold. The nose is toasted and ripe, with white peach and citrus peel over vanilla, toasted bread and hazelnut. The palate is broad and creamy, the oak framing ripe stonefruit and pear, with a savoury, nutty finish carried by fresh acidity. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees with white fish, roast chicken or hard cheese.