Winemaker Notes
The Godello is sourced from young vines in various parcels around Raúl’s home village of Valtuille de Abajo on clay and alluvial stones. Fermented in foudre and aged in neutral barrels without flor.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
They have lowered the alcohol and ripeness in most of the whites, but some vineyards are more difficult than others... The 2020 Ultreia La Claudina comes from a plot on sandy soils that needs higher ripeness to avoid excess bitterness. In 2020 it matured in 50% new barrels as they wanted to see how the wine behaved. It has power and consistence, but the style is a little different from what the wine was before, a little creamier and marked by the elevage. It's more exuberant and quite the opposite from the rectitude of La del Vivo. Best After 2022
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).
One of the few northwestern Spanish regions with a focus on a red variety, Bierzo, part of Castilla y León, is home to the flowery and fruity Mencia grape. Mencia produces balanced and bright red wines full of strawberry, raspberry, pomegranate, baking spice, pepper and black licorice. The well-drained soils of Bierzo are slate and granite.