The 2012 El Transistor is pure Verdejo from four hectares of old vines located between La Seca and Serrada, which are head-pruned, planted on sandy and stony slopes, fermented in different-sized barrels, cement and stainless steel vats with indigenous yeasts, and matured in barrels for nine months. The resulting wine has a limpid, bright yellow color and a fresh nose mixing citric notes and aromas of hay and straw with some complexity, the wood imperceptible but adding a nice spicy background. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh, and clean, with delineated flavors and a clean, persistent finish. Very Rueda and very good. Drink now-2016. Telmo Rodriguez has produced his bread-and-butter white in Rueda for a long time and in the last few vintages he’s added an upmarket cuvee called El Transistor, which means “the radio,” as the wine is produced from such isolated vineyard that they had to leave the radio on to scare wild boars off so they don’t eat the grapes. Perhaps the boars enjoy listening to Metallica full-blast, who knows. Importer: Vintus Wine, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000; www.vintuswines.com