Verdil was (and probably still is) a quickly disappearing native grape in Valencia, Spain.  A few of the local winemakers are trying to show the world what they are about to miss out on, and their leader is Daniel Belda, who makes some of the best wines from Fontanars del Alforin, located 600 feet above see level in Valencia, and one of, if not the, only place that any vineyards planted to Verdil remain.

Bodega J. Belda is a family winery founded in 1931 near Valencia on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. The current generation to oversee the operation is Daniel Belda, a professional enologist who inherited a long family tradition, and spent recent years bringing his family business to the forefront of the region’s wine production. With around 160 hectares, Belda produces noble French varieties along with Valencia’s great native varieties like the fresh, aromatic white grape, Verdil as well as the famed Monastrell (which Belda makes into a deliciously soft, easy-drinking bistro wine called Ponsalet).

The vineyards are rooted in a limestone-layer drained, sandy loam soil at the foot of a hillside facing southwards, at a height of 600 meters, perfect for slowly maturing fruit on the vines. All vineyards are dry farmed, and yields are kept low for the region.

This wine is full of fresh apple and honeyed character, and is the perfect wine for picnics.  Try it with scallops, nuts, and Hunan cuisine.  Drink now – 2010