Winemaker Notes
The vineyards used for As Sortes are 6 microsites all planted in the 1970s and purchased by Rafa between 2004-2007. They are located on the north side of the Bibei Valley in Santa Cruz do Bolo. There is a mix of Godello clones here that survived phylloxera and which have been brought back to productivity.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very mineral and austere, this shows exceptional definition through acidity, taut texture and a saline lift that drives a finely detailed finish with restrained stone-fruit ripeness. From five north-facing parcels. Decomposed granite soils add remarkable clarity and precision. Fermented in 500-liter French oak barrels.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 As Sortes reminded me of the 2021 vintage. It's perfumed, elegant and harmonious, with ripeness, elegance and freshness, with 14% alcohol and superb acidity that make it balanced and lifted up. It comes from six small vineyards ("sorte" locally) planted at the end of the 1970s and 1980s on the north face of the Bibei Valley at 680 meters above sea level on sandy granite soils that give the wine finesse and elegance. It fermented in 500-liter French oak barrels with indigenous yeasts and matured in those barrels with the fine lees for eight months. There's a sense of purity and precision that I like very much, while the texture has very fine granularity.
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Vinous
The 2023 Godello As Sortes Val do Bibei comes from Valdeorras. It opens with gentle primary aromas of pear and linden blossom, intertwined with soft herbal notes and a hint of anise, all set against a delicate backdrop of oak, where the foudre adds nuance. Sleek, supple and marked by elegance and poise, the palate is intense yet slightly compact, with a fine talc-like texture on the 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.