Home > What We're Drinking Now
A Crisp Spanish White in the Heart of Barcelona
Bodegas Angel Lorenzo Cachazo Verdejo Rueda Martivillí 2008
Kim Marcus
Posted: July 14, 2009
Jetlagged and hungry in Barcelona, my wife and I sat down for our first meal of our summer vacation in Spain. It was lunchtime, and we were fresh off a visit to the magnificent Sagrada Familia cathedral. We strolled about the L'Eixample district and discovered a well-shaded table on the sidewalk in front of a welcoming restaurant called de Tapa Madre.
It was a warm day, with just a slight breeze, and we needed something refreshing—fast. Scanning the wine list, I quickly zeroed in on a Verdejo called Martivillí from Bodegas Angel Lorenzo Cachazo. The wine hails from the Rueda district, which lies northwest of Madrid; Verdejo is an aromatic variety, reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc, with which it is sometimes blended.
But this was a 100 percent Verdejo, very crisp and juicy, with citrus and mineral flavors and plenty of good acidity to back it all up. I rated it 88 points, non-blind, and the wine proved a fine match with a bowl of gazpacho and a selection of tapas. It was a good buy at just 15 euros (the 2007 vintage retailed for $12 in the U.S.) and a fine way to get our sea legs in Barcelona.
WineSpectator.com members: Get scores and tasting notes for more recently rated Verdejos from Spain.
