La Misión de Menade is a white wine made from the Verdejo grape variety by the Menade winery in Castilla y León, Spain. For the past 25 years, Menade has been constantly searching for pre-phylloxera vines to produce La Misión de Menade. La Misión, made from Verdeja, is made with fruit from a series of plots of centennial vines growing primarily on sandy soils. Verdeja differs from Verdejo in that its grapes are smaller, the clusters are more oval, and it is more resistant to fungi such as botrytis due to its thicker skin. Its aroma is earthier, more powerful, and more rustic.
Manual harvest for Menade La Mision
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 soils, richly covered with gravel, at altitudes between 600 and 800 meters, are ideal for growing white vines.
2 years bottle aging for Menade La Mision
Harvesting is carried out manually, and when the clusters reach the winery, they are pressed whole. The must ferments with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks. The resulting wine ages for approximately 10 months, divided between 500-liter French oak barrels, 5,000-liter and 10,000-liter tanks, and variously sized pots made partially with clay from the Menade estates, as was done from the start. After aging, La Misión de Menade wine remains in the bottle for at least two years before being sold.
This white wine has a complex aroma with an abundance of restrained fruit and spice. We also detect a hint of sweet apple and oak. It is very rich and full-bodied, with a long and fresh finish.
2022
