Verdejo is the signature grape of Spain’s Rueda region, where it makes crisp, zesty whites, like this citrusy bottling from a revived 17th-century winery.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Spain gets a lot of attention for its bold red wines, but its best whites, including Albariño from the Rías Baixas region and Verdejo (ver-DAY-ho) from Rueda, deliver terrific value—and make fantastic warm-weather wines to boot. Bodega Hermanos del Villar is typical of the new generation of Spanish wineries: Founded in the late 1600s in Rueda (about two hours northwest of Madrid), it was passed down among several families until winemaker Pablo del Villar and his brother purchased the property in 1995. They’ve modernized the winery and restored its half-mile of underground caves, but they continue to dry-farm the 250 acres of vineyards. Without irrigation, the vines struggle to find water; their roots dig deep and they produce less fruit. Their strain is a winemaker’s boon, resulting in focused, mineral-tinged wines, like this appley white.