Naia Prehistórico – Vino de Órbita 2023

Naia sources this Verdejo from a single high site in D.O. Rueda, on the high plain of Castilla y Leon. The vineyards sit on stony, sandy soils above 700 metres, ground so poor and free draining that some old ungrafted vines survived phylloxera here. At this height the days are hot and the nights sharply cold, a swing that stretches ripening and holds acidity while concentrating flavour. This bottling ripens a touch fuller than its sibling, reflected in its higher alcohol. The wine is fermented and then aged around nine months in barrel on its fine lees, with regular stirring that releases mannoproteins to broaden the texture. The oak lends a light toast and a slow oxygen exchange that rounds the palate while the Verdejo signature stays clear. The colour is bright gold. The nose shows ripe pear, white peach and citrus over fennel and dried herbs, with a toasted edge from the barrel. The palate is full and savoury, the lees weight and gentle oak framing ripe orchard fruit into a long finish that closes on the grape's typical bitter almond twist. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees.