The Rueda Control Board has officially ranked the 2010 vintage as VERY GOOD.
Sales of wines from the Rueda appellation continue their upward trend with a further rise during the first quarter of 2011, confirmed through the issue of a total of 15,464,267 back labels (officially confirmed sales), which amounts to an increase of 18.37% compared with the same period last year (13,063,949 were issued in the first quarter of 2010).
This substantial increase in sales was helped by the good 2010 crop in combination with wines of excellent value for money, which makes Rueda wines among the most reliable and consistent in the market. The Rueda appellation maintains its position as leader in quality Spanish white wines and, according to business analyst Nielsen, has moved up in position to rank as fourth Spanish appellation in market share, after overtaking the Navarra appellation. Rueda is currently enjoying full expansion in its markets, thanks in part to a record crop in 2010, during which 76,561,149 kg of grapes were harvested.
The high quality of the wines of the 2010 vintage should also be stressed. This point was officially backed up by the Tasting Committee, who ranked the 2010 as VERY GOOD, a classification which was officially approved by the Rueda Appellation Control Board on 13th April 2011 and confirmed by the professional tasting team of the prestigious Peñín Guide, who tasted some 160 samples last April 12th at the Control Board’s head office, reaffirming the steady progress of the Rueda appellation’s most representative wines: the Rueda Verdejo.
In the tasting report given by the wine technicians, the following was mentioned: “In general terms, this is a vintage with average aromatic intensity, and with superior structure and tasting characteristics on the palate than in previous vintages. The wines display the intensity and length on the palate that are characteristic of wines containing the Verdejo grape, bringing sensations of length and lingering hints of green fruit that fill the mouth with freshness.”
“Those tasting sensations that are coming through right now can be expected to mature and gain in roundness, as Verdejo-based wines tend to do, and they will also develop greater and greater aromatic intensity, length and freshness, with intermingling green and ripe fruit flavours that will provide a sensation of sweetness as these wines reach their optimum attractiveness and power.”