La Misión de Menade 2023

La Mision de Menade is an organic Verdejo made by the Menade winery under the V.T. Castilla y Leon designation. Menade has spent twenty five years seeking out pre-phylloxera vineyards, and this wine draws on grapes from eighteen plots spread across the region, farmed with organic methods. The continental plateau of Castilla y Leon brings hot days and cold nights, and the wide diurnal swing preserves the fresh acidity and aromatic herbs that mark good Verdejo. The bunches are picked by hand and pressed whole, then the wine is aged for twelve months in a mix of barrels and clay jars. The clay amphorae give slow, neutral oxygenation that adds texture without wood flavour, while extended lees contact rounds the palate and deepens the mineral character. The colour is bright straw. The nose shows lemon, green apple and pear alongside the thyme and fennel notes typical of the grape. The palate is dry and textured, with a stony, saline core and a long herbal finish. This is a fuller, more savoury take on Verdejo than the usual fresh style. Serve at 9 to 11 degrees.