Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Simply called 2016 Godello, this is the first of Godello's three whites and is sourced from vines averaging 28 years of age on slate soils at 450 to 500 meters in altitude. The hand-harvested grapes are fermented at 18° Celsius in stainless steel with neutral yeasts and is bottled without seeing any oak, in order to preserve the varietal character. It's clean and fresh, with notes of white flowers and pears. The palate is balanced and elegant, with clean and fresh flavors and a tasty finish.
Godello is native to northwest Spain and has experienced a major revival in the last 20 years. Godello wines are typically sleek and lightly creamy in texture. Barrel fermentation and lees stirring are typical in Valdeorras, Spain where the grape comes from. These winemaking techniques make the most of Godello's inherent structure and help bring out its lovely floral character. Somm Secret—DNA profiling says that Spain’s Godello is actually identical to the Portugese grape variety Gouveio, which grows throughout the Douro and Dão (where it used to mistakenly be called Verdelho).
Just to the south of Bierzo, the steeply terraced Valdeorras Spanish wine region is a respected source of both red and white wines. Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet) and Mencía are the principal red varieties while Godello and Palomino compose the majority of this region's whites.