Verdejo is a Spanish White Wine that pairs best with Fish Tacos, Green Salads, Red Gazpacho, Shrimp Scampi, Tomato Soup and Tapas. Herbaceous, crisp, acidic, and boasting flavours of lime, peach, mineral, and grapefruit, Verdejo shines with anything shellfish or seafood based.
Hailing from the Rueda region of Spain, Verdejo is often confused with Verdelho and Vinho Verde. Taste-wise, Verdejo stands out with its green flavours of fennel and herbs. Verdejo is also quite tangy, with notes of tropical fruit, lychee, pineapple, grapefruit and lemon. If you love Sauvignon Blanc, you’ll also love Verdejo!
When aged, Verdejo develops nutty, honey and smoky flavours making it more friendly with heavier dishes such as Thanksgiving turkey smothered in gravy, seafood pasta in a cream sauce, or chicken enchiladas.
Best Food with Verdejo
Red Gazpacho & Verdejo Pairing
Red Gazpacho is a cold Spanish soup made from tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic, peppers, olive oil and vinegar. Sometimes bread is used to make the soup creamy and smooth. When no bread is used for Gazpacho, the dish is fruity, tangy, sharp, salting and refreshing as it’s served cold on hot summer days.
Verdejo is a racy white wine that matches the sharpness of Red Gazpacho. The cool flavours of Gazpacho will hit you like a tidal wave on a hot summer day, and the fresh and juicy flavours of pear, tropical fruit, lemon and green apple found in Verdejo won’t get swept out with the tide.
Meanwhile, Verdejo contains notes of anise, herbs, green olive, mineral and bitter almond on the finish that are right at home with any herbs and spices found in your Gazpacho.
Green Salad with a Vinaigrette & Verdejo Pairing
Verdejo is versatile and will pair up nicely with nearly any type of Salad. However, I feel it goes best with a Green Salad with a simple vinaigrette made from olive oil and white wine vinegar or lemon juice.
The crisp acidity of Verdejo holds its own against the bracing acidity of the Vinaigrette, while the grassy, herbal and fennel flavours of Verdejo complement the tossed greens. Furthermore, Verdejo has crisp notes of pear, pineapple, tropical fruit and grapefruit that keep you refreshed and help balance out the green flavours of the Salad.
Verdejo has a nutty, bitter finish, making it perfect if your Salad contains Arugula (or Rocket) or any other bitter greens like mustard greens, kale or collard greens.
Fish Tacos & Verdejo
Verdejo’s refreshing flavours makes it perfect for any sort of Mexican fare, including fish tacos, chicken enchiladas, seafood burritos or pork carnitas. As long as the meat is light, meaning it’s fish, chicken or pork, and the sauce isn’t overly heavy, Verdejo will make for a perfect pair.
With Fish Tacos, the sour grapefruit and lime kick of Verdejo brings out the best in the fish, making it taste swimmingly delicious. The bright acidity of Verdejo also cuts through the rich carbs of your tacos, such as the carb-heavy beans, corn and tortilla, ensuring you are able to taste all the ingredients loaded into your fish taco.
Finally, Verdejo has an herbal bite. With notes of grass, herbs and anise, Verdejo is certain to get along with any lettuce, peppers, and guacamole stuffed within your fish taco.
Shrimp Scampi and Verdejo
The citrusy lemon, lime and grapefruit notes of Verdejo help offset the wall of garlic flavours of Shrimp Scampi, keeping your palate refreshed as well as accentuating the milder shrimp flavours. After all, you want to taste the ‘money’ in your Shrimp Scampi, and Shrimp is much more expensive than garlic.
Verdejo also has notes of minerals which complement the sea-kissed flavours of the Shrimp, as well as green flavours that complement the garlic. Furthermore, the delicious and juicy flavours of pear, green apple, apricot, and lychee will help prevent garlic breath, which any company you have will be grateful for.
Omelets and Verdejo Pairing
Verdejo is a white wine that will go great with a simple cheese omelet or even a complex omelet loaded with cheese, peppers, ham, onions and other veggies.
The dry acidity of Verdejo does not overpower the delicate taste of the eggs, still allowing you to taste them. Furthermore, the delicious flavours of lemon, lime, pear, and green apple cut through any cheese or bacon fats in your tasty omelet.
Finally, Verdejo’s herbal and grassy notes will jive perfectly with all sorts of veggies in your omelet, including zucchini, green bell pepper, baby spinach or green olives.