Quintaluna is a young wine that is made exclusively from Verdejo of the province of Segovia. 60% is very old grape pre-phylloxera ungrafted, and 40% is very young grape on trellises, grown certified organic and low performance. Dominate plots with high content of sand and pebbles of different sizes. Some have higher proportions of clay and other significant proportions of clay and limestone.
Quintaluna was originally DO Rueda, but the winery has opted to leave the DO and use the generic Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla y León denomination. Several wineries have de-DOed their Ruedas as they were disqualifying class wines like Ossian for "lack of typicity", while giving the DO's approval for wines of very poor quality. There's an article about this by Luis Gutiérrez on the Wine Advocate site. (Click HERE to see article ; you might have to be a member of The Wine Advocate to see the full content)
Color: Straw yellow with greenish reflections.
Aromas: Its aromas are of white flowers and stone fruit (peach) and citrus (lemon, mandarin). It also displays a very pleasing tropical fruit aromas.
Flavors: The palate is complex. Your good natural acidity is evident in the freshness and great length on the palate. Variety with its typical almond and ripe fruit flavors is clearly perceived. Also displays a nice shade of fresh grass on background aniseed.
It pairs wells with all kinds of appetizers, entrees and salads.
"A full-bodied white with sliced apple, white pineapple, waxy lemon and some pear. Slightly waxy. Long and flavorful. An excellent example of verdejo. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (October 2020), 92 pts
"The 2017 Verdejo Quintaluna (100% Verdejo) offers a Chardonnay-like character with notes of honeyed orchard fruits, toasted nuts, and spice. Medium-bodied and nicely textured, with integrated acidity, it’s a food-friendly white to enjoy over the coming year or two."
- Jeb Dunnuck (March 27th 2019), 89 pts
"Bright yellow-gold. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe citrus and orchard fruits, honeysuckle and dusty minerals, and a hint of chamomile builds in the glass. Juicy, mineral-driven melon and peach flavors stretch out and deepen while maintaining energy. Closes minerally and very long, with a resonating floral note. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (May 2017), 91 pts
"This rich white offers ripe pear fruit, accented by exotic mango and quince flavors and framed by vanilla and smoke notes. Tangy acidity balances the richness. A bold, modern style. Verdejo. Drink now through 2020. 3,000 cases made. - Thomas Matthews"
- Wine Spectator (April 30th 2017), 90pts
"Basic aromas of apple and melon feed into a solid round palate with good acidity. Salty flavors of popcorn and tropical fruits finish flush, balanced and with notes of melon and papaya."
-Wine Enthusiast (May 2017), 88 pts
"Aromas of peaches and minerals follow through to a full body, bright acidity and a long and flavorful finish. Steely undertone. Pure verdejo. Drink now."
- jamesuckling.com (July 2015), 92 pts
"(aged in stainless steel tanks on its lees for a brief two months): Light, bright gold. Vibrant and minerally on the intensely perfumed nose, displaying an array of fresh citrus and orchard fruit aromas along with suggestions of fennel, quinine and jasmine. Sappy, penetrating and pure, offering zesty lime and pear flavors that deepen with aeration. The mineral quality drives a long, focused finish that leaves hints of pear skin and succulent herbs behind. This organically tended site, which has many vines that reportedly pre-date phylloxera, lies within the Rueda zone, in Nieva, but the bodega doesn't want to adhere to the D.O.'s regulations, hence the generic regional designation. - Josh Raynolds"
- Vinous (January 2016), 91 pts
"Light yellow. Spicy nectarine, melon, pear skin and honeysuckle aromas are energetic and bright. Fleshy and seamless on the palate, with fresh honeydew and pit fruit flavors brightened by a spicy, gingery quality. Finishes very long and precise, with refreshing mineral cut and lingering floral character. A standout wine in a difficult vintage and a great value to boot. The Ossian vineyards lie within the Rueda D.O. but the owners prefer not to be overseen by regulatory agencies so they forgo the appellation designation in favor of the generic Vino do la Tierra de Castilla y Leon moniker."
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (September/October 2014), 91 pts
The Ossian project was founded on exceptional vineyards: 9 hectares of venerable vineyards between 100 and 200 years old. This is pre-phylloxera Verdejo that escaped the plague because of its ...
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