Naiades, Bodegas Naia

Intensely powerful 'toasty' aromatics with ripe melon and pear characters combined with citrus, kiwi and grapefruit on the palate.  Wonderfully textural with a broad mouthfeel and exceptionally long finish.

Located on the left bank of the River Duero, the winery dedicates itself to the production of high quality white wines from their meticulously cared for vineyards, which were planted three decades ago in the destrict of La Seca, one of the most highly renowned 'cru' of the region.

Since the first vintage in 2004, Bodegas Naia has established itself as one of Rueda’s star producers. Grapes come from the estate’s 21 hectares in La Seca (where thick gravel over clay subsoil creates fine, incisive wines with distinct minerality) and grapes bought in from a further 20 hectares.

Winemaker Eulogio Calleja crafts wines with great depth, which like the striking labels, stand out from the crowd. While most modern Rueda tends to be in a simple, aromatic, technological style, here the maturity of the vines (30-100 years), strict grape selection and extended lees ageing give wines with delicacy, ripe yet restrained stone fruit characters, lovely texture and the ability to age.

Was matched perfectly with halibut, crayfish and asparagus at the San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurant celebration lunch 2010.

2007 Vintage: "....is 100% Verdejo fermented and aged for 8 months in French oak. Light gold coloured, it exhibits an alluring nose of vanilla, honey, baking spices, pear, and melon. On the palate the oak is nicely integrated while contributing to the wine's creamy texture. Layered, rich, and long, this superb rendition of Verdejo will drink well for another 2 - 3 years." 92 points. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Issue 188, 27th April 2010  ¦ 
2006 Vintage: "Our fish course will be baked scallops with crispy Serrano ham, straight from Seasonal Spanish Food. To go with it I've lined up what I think is Spain's best white wine: the 2006 Naiades, Bodegas Naia, Rueda. This oak-influenced, old-vine Verdejo is rich, toasty, yet remarkably minerally, like a Spanish take on a white Burgundy. The wine ought to cost twice as much as it does." Tim Atkin, The Observer, 20th December 2010  ¦ 
2006 Vintage: "Joint winner of the best over £10 category, this is an exceptional Spanish wine: one of a handful of brilliantly-crafted Rueda dry whites made in the Burgundian mould. Ripe grapes are barrel-fermented and lees-stirred to create a pure-fruited opulence and complexity, whose crisp dry clarity creates a passing resemblance to a Chablis Premier Cru." The Wine Gang.com, September 2009  ¦