Oro de Castilla Verdejo

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Bodegas Hermanos del Villar, producers of Oro de Castilla, is a family-owned winery rooted in the Rueda region, with a long-standing commitment to precision viticulture and site-driven wines. The estate’s history dates to 1955, when Pablo del Villar Escudero settled in Rueda and began working the land, establishing the family’s enduring presence in the region. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the family planted their first estate vineyards with Verdejo, Sauvignon Blanc, and Tempranillo, focusing on varieties best suited to Rueda’s climate and soils. Oro de Castilla Verdejo is produced in a classic, restrained style that emphasizes freshness, clarity, and mineral expression. The wine has received notable recognition, including praise from critic Josh Raynolds, who described it as “a textbook Verdejo,” and its selection by the Spanish Wine Academy as a benchmark example within the Rueda section of the Spanish Wine Educator certification program. The name Oro de Castilla, meaning “Gold of Castile,” reflects both the winery’s heritage and its vineyard landscape. The estate sits at high elevation overlooking Rueda, with vines planted in beds of river stones over limestone subsoil. Many of the vines are among the oldest in the area, with deep root systems that contribute natural balance, freshness, and mineral tension. Oro de Castilla Verdejo is intended to be enjoyed in its youth, when the wine’s bright acidity, vibrant aromatics, and lively fruit character are at their most expressive, offering a clear and confident expression of Verdejo and its place in Rueda.

WHAT MAKES THIS WINE UNIQUE?

Regarded as a benchmark for Verdejo, this wine’s exceptional quality derives from the vineyard’s high altitude and limestone soil, lending a distinct brightness and minerality to the wine.

RATING HISTORY:

2024 92VM; 2023 91VM; 2022 93WE "Hidden Gem"; 2021 92WE "Best Buy", 91VM; 2020 91W&S, 90D, 90VM; 2019 94D, 93VM

GRAPE:

100% Verdejo. Organically grown vines planted from 1989 to 2009. Tended in limestone soil covered by river stones and sand at 719m (2,359ft) elevation. This is a vegan wine.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:

A great pair would be sockeye salmon, Mahi Mahi or flounder simply pan fried in a beurre blanc, or plank roasted. Salads with grilled chicken, asparagus or toasted almonds would also pair well, as well as soft, ripe cheeses.

VINIFICATION AND AGING:

The grapes are carefully hand-harvested during the cooler nighttime hours, when temperatures are below 15ºC. Cryo-maceration is employed in an oxygen-free environment to extract the distinct aromas of the grape variety. The grapes undergo gentle pneumatic pressing, and the resulting must naturally settles at a low temperature. Fermentation takes place at a controlled low temperature using indigenous yeast, ensuring the pure expression of Verdejo's aromatic qualities without any external interventions. Following fermentation, the wine matures on its lees for a minimum of 4 months with daily bâtonnage, enhancing the wine's body and character. After fermentation, there is no malolactic fermentation in order to retain the wine's fresh acidity. After aging, the wine is filtered and bottled.

LOCATION, SOIL, CLIMATE:

Located in the villages of Rueda and La Seca within the Rueda DO, the bodega's vineyards sit at 719 meters (2,359 ft.), benefiting from a distinctive terroir. A deep layer of river stones and sand provides excellent drainage, while the limestone and clay subsoil retains essential moisture, supporting vine health. The soils, low in organic matter, encourage low vigor and yield, enhancing the grapes' aromatic intensity and flavor. The Continental climate, marked by hot days, cool nights, and low annual rainfall (16.4 inches), extends the ripening period, resulting in wines that are fresh, crisp, and complex with intense aromatics.

TASTING NOTES:

Light bright yellow. Aromas of Meyer lemon and green apple are accented by suggestions of chalky minerals and sea salt. Dry and racy on the palate, offering lively citrus fruit and fresh fig flavors and a subtle touch of tarragon. Closes on a juicy note, featuring resonating stoniness and very good focus and length. -- Josh Raynolds.

ALCOHOL CONTENT:

13%

UPC CODE:

810411010921

BOTTLE WEIGHT:

.9 lbs (.41 kg)