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Stop us if you’ve heard this one: a white wine that is a blend of Spain’s native grape, Palomino, predominately used to make Sherry and the Loire Valley’s Chenin Blanc. If you’ve never heard of a blend like this, you’re not alone. We hadn’t either until we tried a sample of Bodegas F. Rubios’ 2021 Hernencia Palomino Fino.
One of our favorite things about going wine tasting in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico’s top wine travel destination, is the level of experimentation these winemakers embrace. Compared to some of our other favorite wine-tasting regions, land in Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe is still relatively inexpensive, compared to vineyard sites in toney Napa Valley or Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and don’t even get us started on Tuscany or Bordeaux.
Here is a fun statistic for you: there are over 120 grape varieties grown in Baja! Wineries here don’t define themselves by a singular style of wine or varieties. They want to try it all!
One winery that we love visiting when we make the drive down to Mexico is Bodegas F. Rubio. This family-owned winery offers the perfect introduction to the wines of Valle de Guadalupe and is a shining example of the adventurous spirit that defines these wines.
We profiled founder Francisco Rubio’s transformation from retired businessman to thriving boutique winery producer and the very cool story behind the winery’s label art in our profile of the tasting room here. But, if you haven’t had a chance to read that article yet, here’s a quick rundown of how F. Rubio was created.
Bodegas F. Rubio has roughly 10 acres under vine and produces nine distinct wines that include whites, reds, and a rose of Montepulciano. The soil here is composed of rocky granite and water-retaining clay.
All of the estate-owned vineyards at F. Rubio are organically farmed. The vines are all planted towards the southwest, so they receive excellent sun exposure and achieve uniform ripening.
Palomino is a grape that doesn’t get a lot of attention outside of its use to make Sherry. This grape, which is native to Spain, is considered a non-aromatic white grape that has painfully low acid levels and is rarely made into standalone still wines or, for that matter, used as a blending grape.
Small plantings of Palomino are found in Valle de Guadalupe, France, South Africa, Australia, and California. It’s also worth noting that Palomino goes by the name Listán in France, and Fransdruif in South Africa.
Chenin Blanc is one of the wine world’s most versatile grapes. This white wine grape can be made lots of different ways, and it’s common to find styles that range from dry and acidic to sweet and fuller-bodied.
While the grape is native to France, South Africa and California now produce far more Chenin Blanc wines than the grape’s home country.
Mexico
Baja California
Chenin Blanc, Palomino
10.6
Alberto Rubio
49–55°F / 9–12°C
Chardonnay
Not Needed
Now to 2030
Bodegas F. Rubio
In the glass, the 2021 Rubio Herencia Palomino Fino is a clear, straw-lemon color. The nose is smooth subdued, and at 10.6% ABV, there’s barely a hint of alcohol escaping the glass. We picked up an interesting mix of bright lemon, vegetal grass, “round” floral notes, and slate.
The palate of this blend is fresh and brimming with lively citrus. The acid from the lemon-lime flavors is jumpy (in a good way), and it makes for quite a refreshing wine. In addition to the citrus, this white wine has notes of slate, unripe peach, and crisp pineapple.
This blend has so many great qualities: a nice mouthfeel, good structure, and a pleasant finish, but the pieces could have all worked together just a bit better to create a more balanced wine. If we have to take a guess, it may be that this wine would have benefited from a touch more alcohol for a little extra “heft.”
One of the first thoughts we had when we tasted this wine was, that is a very food-friendly wine. Seafood is a natural pairing with a wine like this; we would love to try this bottle at a few of our favorite Baja restaurants. You could also try it with salads, or sweet and sour Asian dishes. The little rips of citric acidity means it will pair well with spicy foods too.
We jump at the chance to try new varieties when we go wine tasting in Mexico, and this unique white blend from winemaker Alberto Rubio is one bottle that you will not regret taking home with you. Overall, we enjoyed this wine, and would not hesitate to sample future vintages.
