Verdelho

Description

Aromas of tropical fruit with lively acidity with a dry aftertaste. Vol.12.8%

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does Cedar Creek Estate Verdelho taste like?

A: The Cedar Creek Estate Verdelho features vibrant aromas of tropical fruit on the nose, with a lively and refreshing acidity on the palate, finishing with a pleasingly dry aftertaste. At 12.8% alcohol by volume, it is a light to medium-bodied white wine that is ideal for warm-weather drinking and pairs beautifully with seafood, light salads, chicken dishes, and Asian cuisine. It is one of the winery’s most celebrated varieties and is considered Queensland’s most popular white wine grape.

Q: What is Verdelho and where does it originate?

A: Verdelho is a white wine grape variety that originated on the Portuguese island of Madeira, where it was historically used to produce a medium-dry fortified wine style. It was subsequently spread to mainland Portugal, Australia, and other wine-producing regions. In Australia, Verdelho arrived in the early colonial era, with some of the country’s oldest plantings dating back to the 1800s in New South Wales and South Australia. However, it found a particularly enthusiastic home in Queensland’s subtropical regions like Tamborine Mountain, where its heat tolerance and bold tropical fruit expression proved ideally suited to the local climate.

Q: Why is Verdelho so popular in Queensland?

A: Verdelho has become the most widely planted and celebrated white wine grape in Queensland for several reasons. Its natural heat tolerance allows it to ripen fully under Queensland’s warm and humid conditions without losing acidity, maintaining the fresh, lively character that defines the best examples of the variety. The grape reliably produces wines with vibrant tropical fruit aromas – think passionfruit, guava, and citrus – balanced by a refreshing crisp acidity that suits the Queensland lifestyle. Cedar Creek Estate’s Verdelho exemplifies this regional style perfectly.

Q: What food does Verdelho pair well with?

A: Verdelho’s lively acidity and tropical fruit profile makes it a wonderfully versatile food wine. It pairs excellently with seafood including prawns, grilled fish, calamari, and oysters. Its crisp character also complements fresh salads, goat’s cheese, light pasta dishes, and chicken. In Queensland’s subtropical climate, it is particularly popular as an accompaniment to Asian cuisines including Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese food, where its fruit-forward acidity cuts through spice and richness. Serve chilled for best results.

Q: What is the alcohol content of Cedar Creek Estate Verdelho?

A: Cedar Creek Estate Verdelho has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 12.8%, placing it in the light to medium range for white wines. This moderate alcohol level contributes to its refreshing, easy-drinking character and makes it an excellent choice for afternoon sipping or casual dining. The 2024 vintage is the current release available online at $34 per bottle from cedarcreekestatewinery.com.au.

Q: Is Verdelho a dry or sweet wine?

A: The Cedar Creek Estate Verdelho is a dry white wine. Despite its generous tropical fruit aromas on the nose, the wine finishes clean and dry on the palate, with no residual sweetness. This dry finish paired with lively acidity gives the wine its distinctive freshness and makes it food-friendly and versatile. It differs notably from the winery’s sweeter white offerings like White Moscato or Wizard White, which are made in a sweeter style.

Q: How should Verdelho be served and stored?

A: Verdelho should be served chilled at around 10 to 12 degrees Celsius to best express its fresh tropical fruit aromas and clean acidity. Once opened, the bottle should be re-corked or sealed and refrigerated, and consumed within a few days for optimal freshness. Unopened bottles are best stored in a cool, dark environment and are generally enjoyed young while their primary fruit character is at its most vibrant – within two to three years of the vintage date.

Q: Where can I buy Cedar Creek Estate Verdelho online in Australia?

A: Cedar Creek Estate Verdelho is available for purchase online at cedarcreekestatewinery.com.au/product/verdelho/ for $34 per bottle, or as part of a 12-bottle super-value carton. It is also included in the Connoisseur Pack and Party Pack wine bundles. The winery ships throughout Australia, with a 20% shipping discount applied when purchasing six or more bottles. Delivery is not available to Parcel Lockers or PO Box addresses.

Q: How does Cedar Creek Estate Verdelho compare to Sauvignon Blanc?

A: While both Verdelho and Sauvignon Blanc are aromatic, fruit-forward white wines with bright acidity, they have distinct differences. Sauvignon Blanc typically expresses green and herbaceous notes such as cut grass, gooseberry, and citrus, and is often crisper and leaner in body. Verdelho, particularly in the Queensland style produced at Cedar Creek Estate, leans more towards lush tropical fruits – passionfruit, guava, mango – with a slightly fuller, rounder palate. The dry finish of both wines is similar, but Verdelho’s warmth-influenced ripeness gives it a generous, expressive character unique to Queensland viticulture.

Q: What vintage of Verdelho does Cedar Creek Estate currently sell?

A: The currently available Cedar Creek Estate Verdelho is from the 2019 vintage, priced at $34 per bottle. Vintage conditions on Tamborine Mountain in 2019 produced wines with excellent fruit definition and the lively acidity for which the estate’s Verdelho is known. Purchase is available at cedarcreekestatewinery.com.au/product/verdelho/ with online shipping across Australia.