Bodega Menade is the first winery in the Rueda region to produce organic wines. Since 2005, three young siblings from the renowned Sanz wine dynasty have been producing primarily white wines from the indigenous Verdejo varietal on 50 hectares. Of those 50 hectares, 45 hectares are planted with it. The expressive, aromatic Verdejo varietal is somewhat reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc, without sacrificing its distinctive notes.
Rueda has since become Spain's most interesting white wine region, alongside Rías Baixas. The richly graveled soils, at altitudes between 600 and 800 meters, are ideal for growing white vines. The new bodega boasts state-of-the-art cellar technology. A pneumatic press ensures a gentle, aroma-preserving pressing, and cold maceration in steel tanks is standard practice at Sitios. The young Sanz generation produces a finely-tuned and spicy Verdejo, perfectly rounding off our Spanish range.
The vineyards for Menade Sauvignon Blanc are organically farmed. In addition, the bunches are thinned to reduce production and increase quality. Harvesting is carried out manually during the day and mechanically at night. The grapes for Menade Sauvignon Blanc are fermented at a controlled temperature of around 18 to 22 degrees Celsius in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts, which are already present on the grapes. After fermentation, the wine remains on the fine lees for a period of time to gain volume and is finally clarified, stabilized, and filtered to remove impurities and prevent future precipitation.
