2019 CVNE (Cune) Verdejo Vendimia Seleccionada Rueda Spain 750 ml

It never ceases to amaze us that Spanish icon CVNE manages to pack such an incredible punch in a $15 white wine. 

From the same beloved Wine Advocate 100-point estate responsible for the first Spanish wine to ever hit number one on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list, CVNE’s expressive 2019 Verdejo Vendimia Seleccionada over-delivers on quality and flavor, proving that prestige and value aren’t mutually exclusive. 

We can’t think of a $15 a bottle buy more worthy of your cellar than this 2019 Verdejo from the producer Wine Spectator calls one of Spain’s “most important wineries.” On the palate, high-toned citrus meets ripe Bosc pear with intriguing hints of tarragon and lemongrass. Bright and juicy throughout, the mouthwatering acidity cascades impressively into a bone-dry finish that’s infused with an added layer of chalky minerality, satisfying Sauvignon Blanc devotees and Chardonnay enthusiasts equally. 

CVNE (pronounced COO-nay) is one of Spain’s most beloved properties at every level of its celebrated portfolio, making this value white the ultimate sommelier secret weapon when one dinner guest craves Sancerre or White Burgundy while the other sweats the standard $45+ cost—Vendimia Seleccionada to the rescue.

Established in 1879 by brothers Eusebio and Raimundo Real de Asúa, it was the former’s terrible asthma that proved indirectly responsible for the creation of CVNE. His doctor suggested he leave Spain’s humid Atlantic coast for a drier climate. They settled in Rioja where the brothers set up their famed Tempranillo bodega, but their equally pioneering descendants looked to even drier, more extreme continental climes for this Vendimia Seleccionada Verdejo. Today, CVNE is still operated and managed by fifth-generation siblings Victor and Maria Urrutia, direct descendants of the Real de Asúa family.

From the heart of Rueda, CVNE’s Verdejo grapes thrive in the stark climate of central Spain, where it’s either hot as Hades or freezing cold. The vineyards’ well-draining sandy soils have enabled the region’s 100+ year-old Verdejo vines to thrive in such intense conditions, lending a savory and balanced profile to the grapes’ brisk acidity and juicy fruit character. Sauvignon Blanc is Rueda’s second most planted grape, so it’s no surprise that this 100% Verdejo carries a similar aromatic profile, accented with delicious flair in the form of wet stone, jasmine, white alpine flowers, hay, fennel pollen, and Asian pear notes that won’t quit.

As a Spanish icon for over a century, it only makes sense that even the bodega’s value white carries a certain gravitas. The CVNE crest is, essentially, Spain’s flag. Forgoing an aristocrat’s shield, or a single person’s insignia, CVNE is truly Spain’s ambassador at every level of its historic portfolio.