Ossian verdejo 2009 (Rueda, Spain)
This is a unique verdejo made from century+ old, pre-phylloxera (ungrafted) vines in Rueda, Spain. The grapes were organically farmed in sandy soils at very high elevations (3000ft) then fermented on their wild yeasts in French oak barrels. This wine is the brainchild of Javier Zaccagnini and his consultant Pierre Millemann; the idea was to make a Burgundian expression of verdejo.
This is a unique verdejo made from century+ old, pre-phylloxera (ungrafted) vines in Rueda, Spain. The grapes were organically farmed in sandy soils at very high elevations (3000ft) then fermented on their wild yeasts in French oak barrels. This wine is the brainchild of Javier Zaccagnini and his consultant Pierre Millemann; the idea was to make a Burgundian expression of verdejo.
Especially with the influence of several French wine consultants, there has been an increased use of new French oak in Spain over the last decade or so-- a trend that is lamented by some and championed by others. Some see the new investments as a revival of lost wine regions; others see it as a bastardization of classic Spanish wines.
In this wine, I think the oak works quite nicely; it made me think about verdejo in an entirely new light.
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