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Winery: Belondrade

Country / Region: Spain / Castilla y Leon

Date Winery was established: 1994

Grape Variety: Verdejo

Alcohol Content / Volume: 13,5% / 750ml

First Vintage Released: 2002

Ratings: 92 pts. Guia Penin

Decanting Time: No need. Open bottle for ten minutes and serve between 9 to 12ºC.

Good to
know: This wine is the first assemblage of the year. It has been conceived since its first vintage as the most varietal and fresher approach to Belondrade’s philosophy. This assemblage is built on the great diversity found in both vineyard and cellar. Approximately one-third comes from a selection of barrels, while the two thirds remaining comes from stainless steel and concrete tanks. Harmony is found between structure and freshness, between acidity and bitterness.

Belondrade Quinta Apolonia is a true reflection of the Quinta San Diego estate, and the climate conditions experienced during the year. It is named after Didier's elder daughter.

Belondrade was founded by Frenchman Didier Belondrade who felt in love with the Castilian
plateau, its extreme climate, its magical soils made of sand, pebbles and clay,
but above all he felt in love with Rueda’s native variety: verdejo. He decided
to leave behind his life of Parisian executive and live his dream. With the
idea to create a “chateau” in Spain, he decided to search for another
interpretation of verdejo, expressing longevity and elegance. In 2000 Didier
decided to materialize his project with the construction of his new cellar in
the village of La Seca (Valladolid), just a few kilometers away from the Duero
River. The estate Quinta San Diego grew steadily, obtaining in 2010 the organic
certification. As of today, it is composed of 23 plots presenting differences
in terms of soils compositions, orientations, planting patterns, pruning, and
training systems, and ages of the vines. These differences bring a unique
personality to each plot. To preserve it, harvest is done manually, plot by
plot, fermenting spontaneously (native yeasts) before ageing on its lees in
barrel or in tank.

Within just a quarter of century, Belondrade is now recognized as an iconic winery in Spain.