The 2020 Verdejo Fermentado en Barrica was produced with grapes from old vines and fermented in 228- and 500-liter oak barrels where it matured for nine months. 2020 was a mild year, and the wine achieved 13.6% alcohol while keeping a pH of 3.4. It's varietal, clean and intense, round and fleshy, with a juicy mouthfeel, dry and serious. 38,000 bottles and 170 magnums produced. It was bottled in August 2021.

The 2018 Verdejo Fermentado en Barrica shows very integrated oak, something they have been working on for a while, gradually using less new oak and larger barrels. It's varietal and felt more reductive than oxidative, and some of the barrels, where the wine was kept until August 2019, went through malolactic. That has provided some creaminess and a soft texture with tender acidity. 32,000 bottles and 160 magnums produced. It was bottled in October 2019.

The 2012 Fermentado en Barrica is a barrel-fermented Verdejo combining notes of smoke and white flowers, an unusual combination as the wood seems to respect the floral personality of the wine, which is good news. The palate is medium-bodied, dry, with good acidity and bite. Compared with the Cuvee Especial, it is more obvious, and the toast notes of the barrel seem to amplify the typical bitter aftertaste of the barrique. If you can get hold of the 2011, which should still be around, it’s perfect for current drinking and has a lively palate, a tad fresher than this 2012. Drink now-2017. Importers: Angeles Wines, Van Nuys, CA; tel. (818) 778-0001; Elite Wines Imports, Inc., Lorton, VA; tel. (703) 339-8150

The 2008 Jose Pariente Barrel Fermented Verdejo was fermented in new and 1 year French oak with daily batonnage followed by an additional 6 months in barrel prior to bottling. It is light gold-colored with toasty tropical notes that jump from the glass. This is followed by a wine with good grip and concentration and an elegant personality. The oak still stands out a bit, but another year of bottle age may find it fully integrated. It should drink well for several more years. Importer: Aurelio Cabestrero, Grapes of Spain, Lorton, VA; www.grapesofspain.com

The 2007 Jose Pariente Barrel Fermented is an unusual 100% Verdejo fermented in new and used French and American oak. It remained in barrel for four months prior to bottling. Light gold-colored, it reveals an enticing perfume of citrus, pineapple, and banana with barely a trace of wood. Ripe on the palate with excellent integration of the oak, this surprisingly complex Verdejo will drink well for another two years. Importer: Aurelio Cabestrero, Grapes of Spain, Lorton, VA; tel. (571) 642-0343