<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" href="http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wpid-Photo-Aug-12-2013-1355.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft" id="blogsy-1377488104108.3206" alt="Shaya Arindo 2011: Spanish Verdejo wine from the Rueda region" src="http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wpid-Photo-Aug-12-2013-1355.jpg" width="200" height="266" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;">There is nothing like a white Verdejo wine to bring me back to Spain. It's this Spanish wine from the Rueda region, not the iconic red Rioja wines that most brings the memories flooding back. You don't usually give Rueda a second thought, but it is the wine of everyday Spanish life. It is the wine you can always count to be refreshing, consistent, good-value, and everywhere. Rueda is your best wine friend in a country where wine selection can still be spotty. Single-varietal Verdejo Ruedas are usually a cut above, and the more mineral ones and some of the barrel fermented bottles show the potential of this grape variety. The Arindo 2011, from one of my favorite producers, Bodegas Shaya, is one of the good-value, easy-drinking Rueda wines....it took me right back to daily life in Madrid!</p>
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<p style="text-align: justify;">The Arindo is the baby wine of the Bodegas Shaya line. You can read about the other two, Shaya Verdejo, and Shaya Habis, in my <a title="Spanish Wine Review: Shaya 2011" href="http://planetavino.net/2013/02/27/spanish-wine-review-shaya-2011/">review</a>. Bodegas Shaya is part of the Orowines group, one of the biggest importers of Spanish wine to the US.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The Arindo is a wine made only for the American market, at a lower price point. Many wine importers require such a wine for by-the-glass programs. It actually irks me as they are charging more by the glass than what the whole bottle costs in many cases! But this rant is for another occasion....</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The Shaya Verdejo is one of my favorite Rueda wines...a cut above, with typical grassy, pineapple aromas, but also leaner citrus and mineral notes. I think it is totally worth it, but it's on the high end for an un-oaked Rueda Verdejo, 9€ in Spain and around 15$ here in the US.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The Arindo 2011 is a simpler wine...it still has the grassy pineapple intensity so characteristic of the varietal but in a simpler package. It's fresh, with big personality, a satisfying mouthfeel, and is really great value. It reminds me of all those Ruedas that saved my picky butt in Spain all those years! I see the Arindo as low as 9$ online.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Rueda is a very versatile white, it's medium body and quite intense aromas mean it can stand up to some pretty hearty food for an un-oaked white. I had the Arindo at <a title="Best burger in Miami…so far!" href="http://planetavino.net/2013/08/24/best-burger-in-miami-so-far/">Umami Burger</a> with the Original Umami Burger, and it was a surprise hit with all those intense, savory umami flavors from the roasted tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, and the Parmesan crisp. Yes, a white with a burger! It's Miami in the summer...what can I say!</p>
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