Verdejo, a widely planted Spanish white grape, is considered “aromatic.” But wait! Don’t all wines have aromas? Isn’t that why we swirl and sniff?
Behold, here we have another of the questions that make wine complicated … and interesting.
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Virtually all wines have some scent, of course. But some wines are more aromatic than others. In this context, “aromatic” is a specific term for varietal wines (usually white) that boast intense fruity or floral characteristics that seem to jump right out of the glass. Verdejo, along with familiar grapes like Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Muscat, and many more, all fall into this category.
This probably sounds like a good thing, and often it is. But to complicate the issue a little more, some of the world’s greatest white wines clearly don’t fit this definition. Chenin Blanc, Pinot Blanc, and even Chardonnay – source of all White Burgundies – may not knock you over with a blast of ripe fruit, but they can show more subtle, fascinating complexity that catches your interest and justifies their price.
These non-aromatic grapes provide the winemaker a relatively blank canvas to show off terroir, fermentation, oak and other vessels, and other decisions on their journey from vine to bottle.
Ripe and juicy, a bunch of Verdejo grapes in a Rueda vineyard. Photo from Ribera y Ruedo.
Chemically, grapes defined as aromatic typically bear significant amounts of natural chemical compounds called terpenes, which are plant oils within the grape skins. Unlike more neutral grapes that shed these scents during fermentation, aromatic grapes retain the flower and fruit-scented oils such as rose scents in geraniol, lavender or orange aromas from linalool, and citrus character from citronellol, three of the most common terpenes.
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Such vivid scents blasting from an aromatic white may suggest a sweet flavor to follow, but that’s not always so. Today’s featured wine, for example, Gonzalez Byass Beronia Rueda Verdejo, is richly aromatic and bone dry. And it is delicious.
Two different approaches, two different broad categories to sort out our wines, both good, each very different. Pay your money and make your choice. Still wondering why learning about wine can be complicated? I’m glad the fascinating world of wine offers us the opportunity to enjoy, and learn from, both alternatives.
All wines have aromas, but some are more aromatic than others. Are you a fan of “aromatic” whites like Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chenin, and more?
Today’s Tasting Report
Gonzalez Byass 2023 Beronia Rueda Verdejo ($16.49)
An aromatic taste of Spain, Gonzalez Byass Beronia Rueda Verdejo is a clear, light, straw color with greenish glints. A delightful mix of fresh white fruit lifts from the glass – apricots and other stone fruit, a citric whiff of lime, and a hint of white grapefruit. All this deliciousness carries over in the flavor with brisk acidity shaping a luscious, medium-bodied flavor that’s fully dry. Made with no oak contact and a blend of fermentation in stainless steel and in concrete vats, it’s a complex and intriguing white wine. 13% alcohol. U.S. importer: Gonzalez Byass USA, Chicago. (Sept. 26, 2026)
FOOD MATCH: This appealing wine would be versatile at the table with a range of poultry or fish, cheesy pasta dishes, or rice-based entrees. It was perfect with a garden risotto with celery, green peppers, chives, onions, garlic, and saffron.
WHEN TO DRINK: Verdejo wines from Rueda are meant for early enjoyment, and this one is no exception. Drink up, don’t cellar, although it should be safe on a wine rack through next summer and beyond.
VALUE:
It’s a fine value in the middle to upper teens. Wine-Searcher.com lists an $18 average U.S. retail price.
WEB LINK:
Here’s a producer link in English to a detailed report on the 2023 and 2024 vintages.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Gonzalez Byass Beronia Rueda Verdejo on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read about Spain’s Rueda region and its wines at this Wine-Searcher link.
Go to this Wine-Searcher link for a report on the Verdejo grape.
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Good wines we’ve tried under $12!
Want tips to still more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $12 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases, the prices may have risen since I reviewed them, but more recent vintages should still be good values. Please tell us about your favorites!
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Both styles can be excellent. I particularly enjoy the more aromatic whites, though some grapes might yield wines which are too "over the top" for some drinkers. One such wine might be Zibibbo from Sicily (apparently labelled Muscat of Alexandria in other regions). It is perhaps the wine most immediately identifiable by scent.