Run, don't walk for our new vintage 2022 Millbrook Verdejo
We are extremely excited that one of Millbrook's most popular wines is back in stock with the release of a new vintage of the Verdejo!
Read on to explore the crisp, aromatic and delicious 2022 Regional Verdejo.
How do you pronounce Verdejo?
Ver-day-oh.
Where is Verdejo planted around the world?
Verdejo is still a relatively unknown grape outside of Spain and it's extremely rare to be found outside of its native Rueda. In fact, only a handful of experimental vineyards are in existence - not only in Australia but across the world - and production of single varietal wines is tiny.
Millbrook Winemaker Emma finds this inspiring and said, “[she strives] to produce a varietal in Australia that not many other people do by celebrating this alternative varietal grown in Margaret River."
Fun fact:
Initially grown to produce oxidized sherries, it wasn’t until the late 1900s that a dry, aromatic style of Verdejo became popular with producers and drinkers alike!
How does winemaking influence the aromas and flavours of this wine?
Emma said, “We wanted to make sure to pull away from making it this [sic] Verdejo like any other white wine. This allowed us to create a wine yielding maximum expression of the varietal characters, by taking a more minimalist winemaking approach. This involved using fewer additions during the making of the wine.”
Winemaking was left very hands-off, with cool ferment temperatures to retain fresh aromatics as well as minimal fining or filtration. This has allowed the Verdejo fruit to sing with intense, vibrant characters of melon and white peach, as well as lifted florals. This intensity carries on to the palate where mandarin pith and citrus embrace. Emma said, “to offer something different and interesting that people may not have tried before is a great opportunity.”
What is the best food to eat with this wine?
Winemaker Emma recommends “foods that are well complemented by the pithy, fennel frond and citrus characters of the wine, such as seafood dishes, caprese salad, and of course some Spanish tapas like Patatas Bravas, as a tip of the hat to the original homeland of the variety.” Delicious!
Executive Chef Guy Jeffreys said, “Tomato and Bread Salad” – a simple, yet perfect Millbrook dish, with produce sourced from the Estate garden at the award-winning restaurant. You can find Guy's recipe below:
Ingredients
- ¼ loaf 4 to 5 day old sourdough
- 1kg tomatoes
- Splash of aged balsamic vinegar
- Really big glug of olive oil
- Handful of basil
- 200g cottage cheese
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Preheat your oven to 220 degrees celcius
- Tear the sourdough into big bite size chunks and put on tray, then put in the oven for around 10 minutes
- While this is happening cut up your tomatoes and put in a big bowl along with the vinegar, olive oil, seasoning
- When the sourdough is really toasty and crunchy take out the oven and put in the bowl and toss to suck up all the tomato juices
- Serve immediately on a bed of cottage cheese, tear over the fresh basil and pour chilled glasses of Verdejo
Guy's Recipe Notes
- If you like eating meat this summer salad goes great with whatever beef you’ve thrown on the BBQ
- You say tomato, I say heirloom tomato grown from last years saved seeds. Plant tomato seeds into a seedling tray in August, then transplant into the garden late September, harvest in January, collect seeds and repeat every year
We are offering a limited time online discount; receive $25 off your purchase when six or more wines from the Millbrook Regional Range are purchased – use Regional25 to redeem this reward at checkout.
To shop the full MIllbrook Regional Range click here.