Verdelho Paso Robles Summer Wine insolence + wine

Verdelho: The Official Wine Of Summer

Since getting married there nearly two years ago, Broken Earth Winery has been one of my go-to wineries when I’m in the mood to try something delicious and different (my kind of DD). After receiving their 2015 Verdelho in my wine club shipment back in May, I’ve been on the hunt for others to try as it was a new-to-me wine. In fact, I have enjoyed what I have discovered so much that I just had to include Verdelho in our “5 Wines To Drink This Summer” post and have been drinking it non-stop ever since.

Within a few days of that post going live, we’ve received numerous comments, e-mails and even Facebook messages asking what the heck Verdelho was. If you’re anything like we are, you’ve probably been in a bit of a wine rut when it comes to selecting wines to enjoy this summer. Before you rush out and buy another generic bottle of rosé, give Verdelho a chance.

In short: Verdelho is the official wine of 2016 in my household. Come to my house, you will not be handed a glass of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc… though, there’s a slim chance you’ll be given a glass of Grenache Blanc. What I love most about Verdelho is how it really seems to please everyone, no matter their typical wine palate. As someone who doesn’t typically enjoy many white wines (give me the full bodied ones that don’t say Chardonnay on the label), I was over the moon about this stuff. My husband, who secretly drinks moscato when nobody is looking, actually bought a case when he thought I wasn’t paying attention.

Verdelho is is crisp and refreshing without being too acidic or sweet. Don’t misunderstand—it is acidic, just not so much that your mouth is puckering with each sip. It’s simply a perfect wine to enjoy outside on your porch or binge watching Orange Is The New Black or “beauty guru’s” on YouTube.

The downside for most is that Verdelho isn’t a mass production wine—which is all the more reason to jump on the wine train early in the season. More and more wineries in the Paso Robles region are planting Verdelho for one good reason: it’s damn delicious. If you’re lucky, your local wine store (not grocery store) will have a bottle or two. Chances are, if you want to get your hands on a bottle you’re going to have to rely on the web.

If you cook often, you’ve probably heard of Madeira. Well, Verdelho is one of the four main grapes used to make Maderia wine. You probably picked up your bottle of Maderia for $7 at the grocery store and you didn’t find it anywhere near the wine section. Quality Maderia can be enjoyed as an aperitif or alongside a delicious dessert. In Portugal, Verdelho sometimes referred to as a port wine, which if you know anything about wine you’ll know port wine is traditionally a red wine. Verdelho itself, however, doesn’t taste like Maderia wine.

What To Pair With Verdehlo

Like most wines, pairing food with Verdelho can feel like a daunting task. A fellow wine lover, who may actually fall into the category of wine snob, said the most obvious thing: treat Verdelho like a Gewürztraminer when you’re trying to figure out what to eat with it. It’s light and aromatic, can match up nicely with spicy asian dishes or simple white fish or chicken recipes without losing itself or overwhelm the flavors. Unlike Gewürztraminer, with verdelho you aren’t likely to find an abundance of floral notes. When you smell a Verdelho, you’ll probably sense minerals—but not to worry, it doesn’t taste that way!