WHAT IS VERDEJO? THE SPANISH GRAPE BEHIND SKIN DEEP

Verdejo is best known as the white grape behind Rueda — Spain's most celebrated crisp white wine region. But at Loco Wines, we use it for something quite different.

WHERE DOES VERDEJO COME FROM?

Verdejo is native to the Rueda region of Castilla y León in central Spain, where it has been cultivated for over 1,000 years. It is a robust, heat-tolerant grape that thrives in the high-altitude continental climate of the Spanish meseta.

Outside of Rueda, Verdejo is grown across other Spanish regions including Castilla-La Mancha — where our winemaker Pablo Parra Jiménez farms organically in the Cuenca area.

WHAT DOES VERDEJO NORMALLY TASTE LIKE?

As a conventional white wine, Verdejo delivers crisp, aromatic flavours — citrus zest, green apple, fennel, and a characteristic bitter almond finish. It is dry, refreshing, and highly food-friendly.

It is also naturally high in antioxidants, which gives it good aging potential and helps it maintain freshness.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MAKE VERDEJO AS ORANGE WINE?

Skin Deep uses Verdejo in a completely different way — skin contact fermentation. Instead of separating the juice from the skins immediately, the crushed grapes macerate together for several days. The skins release colour, tannins, and additional flavour compounds that you would never get from conventional white winemaking.

The result is an amber-coloured wine with real texture and an explosion of vibrant fruit — the natural aromatics of Verdejo amplified and deepened by the skin contact process.

VERDEJO IN SKIN DEEP

Skin Deep by Loco Wines is our best-selling wine for good reason. The Verdejo grape's natural freshness and aromatics shine through the skin contact process, creating an approachable, vibrant orange wine that wine novices and orange wine enthusiasts alike love. Back in stock now at locowines.co.uk.