It’s not common to find wines made in America from Spanish grapes. While French and even some Italian varietals can be found in vineyards all over the country, we usually only consume the grapes of Spain when we drink a wine that’s actually been made in that country. But one of the coolest things about discovering a wine made from grapes outside of their native home is the opportunity to experience how those grapes change and adapt with the new terroir. Thanks to Verdad Wines, we get that opportunity.
Made on the Central Coast of California by Louisa Sawyer Lindquist, Verdad wines are devoted to the grapes of Spain and using those grapes to reflect California terroir. Wife of Bob Lindquist, one of California’s most famous winemakers, Louisa makes the wine in the same facility as her husband and their good friend, Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat, another fantastic California winery. If anyone was to properly interpret Spain on California soil, it would be Louisa.
Verdad Albariño is a perfect example of how cool a wine made from Spanish grapes grown in California can be. While we often think of Albariño from Spain as being clean and crisp, here it is rich, almost savory. The wine pours straw yellow and gives off aromas of citrus and honey. It’s that same honey aroma that sees its way through to the palate, where the wine is rich and round, with a beautiful minerality that gives balance to the acidity.
It’s a beautiful wine that proves American wineries might want to pay more attention to Spanish varietals.
