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Ossian, “Quintaluna” Verdejo

Castilla y León, Spain 2018 (750mL)
Regular price$29.00
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Ossian, “Quintaluna” Verdejo

Over the years, a never-ending hit parade of Spanish wines have cruised past our tasting table and today’s has led us to the following belief: Spain’s surging wine renaissance has become a full-blown Golden Age. A new generation of adventurous, risk-tolerant winemakers have reclaimed forgotten vines clinging to steep mountainsides across the vast territory of Castilla y León, and this 2018 “Quintaluna” Verdejo may be the most thrilling of them all. 


Today’s transcendent wine isn’t just born from old vines—it comes from gnarled, ungrafted, ancient beasts averaging 150 years of age. Meaning, this palate-coating, sumptuously flavored knockout comes fully accented with Burgundian richness and tension but with the added complexity of vines that were first planted in the 1800s. Truly, it is an indispensable experience for those who rejoice in profound, deeply textured white wines that dominate a conversation. This is a shining and extremely rare example of how Spain has breathed new life into the ancient past, so we strongly urge you to climb aboard and taste the magic. For $29 only, it would be a shame to miss this wildly unique, time-traveling ride!


The Ossian project was originally launched in 2005 by local winegrowers Ismael Gozalo and Javier Zaccagnini. Since January 2016, the Ruiz family, owners of Pago de Carraovejas in Ribera del Duero, has been the only stakeholder after purchasing the entire venture. The renowned white wine specialist Rafael Palacios is now Ossian’s wine consultant. Ossian’s guiding principle is to dispel the notion that Verdejo from Rueda is nothing more than a simple, quaffable white wine and prove that its old-vine energy is capable of transmitting the expression of its terror in an authentic, age-worthy wine. Segovian Verdejo, particular to the high-altitude village of Nieva, is the main focus. The mission to recover the area’s ancient, phylloxera-free vineyards rooted in what they call “privileged soils” marks the character of their beloved, ancestral Verdejo. Scattered around Nieva and other northern villages of Segovia, most sites are planted to ungrafted vines with many parcels dating back 150 years and beyond. 


The local soils combine heavy sand and pebbles with varying proportions of clay and limestone over deeply buried slabs of shale. These well-drained soils allow for completely developed, deep root systems—a key factor contributing to the wine’s extraordinary interplay of complex, mid-palate flavors against a firm mineral backbone. At an average altitude of 2,800 feet above sea level, these heirloom sites withstand severe annual temperature swings from winter (15ºF) to summer (90ºF+) with significant snowfall, rain, and harsh winds. All these natural conflicts and contrasting elements greatly contribute to the distinct flavors of ancient-vine Verdejo. 


All of the Certified Organic fruit for today's 2018 “Quintaluna” was hand-picked and rigorously sorted both in the field and at the winery. Once the grapes were de-stemmed and gently pressed, the wine underwent its fermentation using native yeast in mostly small stainless-steel tanks with a portion going through fermentation and aging in both traditional French barrels and large wooden foudres. The wine aged for nine months before blending both vessels together and a gentle filtration took place at bottling which occurred in August of 2019. Note: Although Ossian is now widely considered a top producer of white wines in central Spain, they are dissatisfied with the political machinations of the Rueda D.O. so they have long since abandoned the appellation for the larger Castilla y León designation. 


After a 15-30 minute decant, serve in your Burgundy stems around 45-50 degrees to allow room for the wine’s remarkable, layered complexity to unfold. In the glass, the wine carries a glowing, light straw hue with greenish reflections. A string of powerful scents come forward including white flowers, fresh peach, orange pith, quince, spicy ginger, and citrusy lees. The waxy/rich medium-bodied palate is flavor-packed with Meyer lemon, exotic mango, crushed almonds, and honeysuckle. A building mineral lift emanates from the broad but fresh mouthfeel, continuing through the impressive, persistent finish. This Ossian Verdejo is a singular, multi-dimensional wine, not just eclipsing Rueda and belonging to Spain’s elite tier but one to rival the flavor, texture, and structure of the world’s very best whites. Best of all, its extraordinary $29 entry-fee will allow for multiple star-turn performances on your table. Cheers!

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