Rueda is situated in the heart of Castilla y León, predominantly on the Meseta Central plateau and particularly known and renowned for its Verdejo wines. Rueda winemaking history goes way back to the Middle Ages and is therefor full of traditions concerning winemaking.
The region faced a significant setdown with the phylloxera outbreak in the late 19th century, resulting in the near disappearance of vineyards by the 20th century. Many winemakers chose to replant their vineyards using the Palomino Fino grape. Palomino, well-known for its use in fortified wines like Sherry, was ideal for the soils and climate conditions in Rueda.
However, Verdejo has surged in popularity since the 1980s, rediscovered by, amongst others, Rioja producer Marques de Riscal. But even today, Rueda produces limited quantities of wines in traditional Palomino style wines.
