Castilla y Léon — Spain

Esmeralda García earned the title of Verdejo Queen when she returned to her birthplace to craft Verdejo wines. Her small hometown, Santiuste de San Juan Bautista, has about 500 inhabitants and is situated near Segovia (140 km north-west of Madrid).

Upon her return, Esmeralda founded her domain, SantYuste. Her family owned a small estate with ancient Verdejo vines, aged between 150 and 200 years. These pre-phylloxera vines, located at altitudes of 600 to 800 meters on sandy soils, have a storied winemaking history.

Esmeralda’s vineyard covers about 5 hectares across six different plots. Each plot varies in altitude, soil, and climate, leading her to make separate cuvees from each one. These diverse terroirs result in completely different expressions of Verdejo.

Here, she produces Verdejo wines with a refreshingly vibrant character. Her approach is distinctly atypical for this grape, infusing her wines with a new and energetic expression.