This dry Spanish white wine from the underappreciated verdejo grape is an outstanding value — with complexity found in few chardonnays or sauvignon blancs twice the price. It's a very fresh wine, with an exotic mix of mineral, pine, mint, lime, pear and apple and pineapple flavors. Imported by Kysela, this verdejo moves crisply across the palate and finishes strong. These days Spain (verdejo and albarino) and Argentina (torrontes) are truly the places to look for inexpensive white wines with character.
From: Rueda, Spain
Price: $12
Serve with: Shellfish, white-fleshed fish
—Michael Dresser
Wine Find: 2010 Palacio de Bornos Verdejo
A bottle of 2010 Palacio de Bornos Verdejo. (Handout photo)