Typically a fresh, flavoursome and vibrant wine, with a lovely balanced palate of fruit and a smooth buttery finish. Verdelho makes for a great alternative to the market-dominant Chardonnay.
Depending on which version you subscribe to, verdelho either originated from Sicily or from Portugal. Regardless, during the 15th century verdelho vines found their way to the Madeira Islands east of Morocco, moving into the Douro Valley of northern Portugal and then to the Anjou region in the Loire Valley of western France, where they can still be found extensively today. In Portugal verdelho produces fortified wines and it is a major component in the famous Madeira wines. In France, verdelho produced is often a dry white wine.
There are only relatively small plantings of verdelho in Australia, having thought to be first planted by the great pioneer John Macarthur and sons around 1820, who established vineyards at Camden Park near Penrith NSW. In 2001 Australia picked just over 10,000 tonnes of verdelho.
The characteristics of Australian verdelho’s vary according to the climate, growing conditions, and the wine-maker’s art. From cool to warm climates the varietal character will change from herbaceous, grassy and spice through to more tropical notes of pineapple, melon, tropical fruits, guava, honeysuckle and fruit salad. The wine is usually aromatic and high in alcohol and acidity.
Foods that go fantastic with unfortified verdelho include salads, seafood and light meats such as chicken, pork and veal. The spicy styles go well with pesto and roasted vegetables whereas the sweeter styles work well with Asian influenced dishes.
Most Australian verdelho’s are best consumed within two years of vintage and are extremely reasonably priced, with most selling for $10 to $20 per bottle.
*Although usually sold as a straight varietal, verdelho also blends well with Chardonnay and Semillon.