A Spanish Contender for House White

Finding a white wine versatile enough to qualify as a house white can be oddly difficult.

Some white wines are too sharp. Some white wines are too flabby. Some white wines are too darn expensive.

The 2006 Telmo Rodriguez Basa, on the other hand, is just right.

As such, it's an excellent QPR Spanish contender for your house white. ($11.99, domaine547; available elsewhere for the same price). Made from biodynamically farmed grapes, it has zesty flavors, and a heavier moutfheel than most zingy white wines. There are lime zest and litchi-fruit aromas, which are subtle until it warms up in the glass. Waxy flavors of Meyer lemon, golden delicious apple, candied lemon peel, and lime round out the experience of this delicious white wine made from a blend of Verdejo, Viura, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Versatile enough to go with everything from chicken and feta tostadas (a Greek twist on a Mexican classic) to chicken with lemon and olives, this is a wine that will be welcome on almost any table.

The Breezy Las Brisas Rueda

Now that the weather is turning warmer, it's time to bring out the summer whites, and what could be more summery than a white wine named after a cooling breeze? I bought the 2005 Bodegas Naia Las Brisas ($9.99, Beverages and More) on the recommendation of Sonadora at Wannabe Wino, who gave me some help back in January when I posted my New Year's Resolution to learn more about Spanish wines. I had a hard time finding it--it was always out of stock at my local BevMo--but finally I got my hands on some.

The 2005 Bodegas Naia Las Brisas was very pale straw in color, to the point of being almost translucent. Made of 50% Verdejo (which is not the same as Verdelho, but an entirely different grape), mixed with equal parts of sauvignon blanc and viura, I liked the fresh aromas of apples, pears, and the pungent white pith of a lemon after you've zested it. All of these aroma notes can be found in the flavors of the wine, and that lemon pith note gives the finish a slightly bitter edge. One important point: if you serve it too cold there will be almost no flavor to this wine at all, just a citrus impression. Let it warm up a bit, and the orchard fruits characteristic of the varietal do come out, along with an almond flavor that is very appealing and different. I've never had a verdejo wine before, but its strong display of the grape's varietal characteristics combined with its low price makes me think this represents excellent QPR.

The Las Brisas is a perfect appetizer wine, or just for sipping with a handful of almonds or nuts after work. But it also goes great with shellfish. We had it with a Southeast Asian Shrimp Salad, made with a simple dressing and loads of vegetables and herbs. It was a terrific pairing, since the clean, tart flavors in the wine and the salad matched each other.

This wine was made in the Rueda wine region just north and west of Madrid, an up-and-coming area that is known for its white wines. Even if you can't get your hands on the Las Brisas, try a Rueda white this summer. Chances are it will be just as crisp and refreshing as this wine was.