Hermanos Lurton, Rueda
While being well known for its red wines, Spain was not yet reputed for its whites. Jacques and Francois Lurton took on this audacious challenge when they set up in the Rueda region of Spain, a D.O. in 1980. Little known at the time, Rueda now stands as the best white wine region in Spain. The white wines in the region are produced principally with Verdejo, as it is the centerpiece of Rueda white wines, sometimes augmented by smaller proportions of Viura and Sauvignon Blanc. While the Verdejo provides weight, length, and aromas and flavors of peaches and apricots, the Viura and Sauvignon add spiciness and crisp acidity. When labeled as 'Rueda Verdejo' (as opposed to just 'Verdejo'; or 'Blanco'), such as the Hermanos Lurton Rueda Verdejo, the wine must be from at least 85% Verdejo.
El Albar, Castilla Y Leon
Located in the western extreme of the Duero Valley, not far from Rueda, the DO of Toro is one of the oldest viticultural regions in Spain. The severe climate and poor rocky soils of the area produce rich, vigorous wines from the dominant red variety, Tinto de Toro, a clonal variant of Tempranillo. Many of the grapes come from very old, head-pruned vineyards, some with vines over 100 years age. Though yields here are already extremely low, the growers are instructed to practice crop thinning to further concentrate the fruit. The wines produced are full-bodied and rich, with the intense aromas and flavors of old-vine fruit marked by the fabulous minerality and stony earthiness of this superb terroir.
Constantly looking for quality improvement, François initiated a change in the cultivation process which provides more fruity and less alcoholic wines. In changing viticultural techniques, Francois declassified the wines since these new cultivation methods are not currently accepted by the rigid DO TORO laws. Therefore, the wines from the 2006 to 2008 vintage are now classified into the broader “Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Léon” appellation.
