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Godellos from Galicia have been making waves for a while, getting people excited in their own right rather than as an afterthought to the more celebrated Albariños. I thought that there might be a disappointing turnout for the first ever DO Valdeorras presentation in Valencia at the Valencia Palace Hotel, as it was drizzling away, and Valencians tend to cancel everything at the slightest drop of rain, but the Marenostrum hall at the Palace was a hive of activity.
I spotted a gap at the Bodegas D’Berna table, and tried their 2011 Godello, which I have been reading about recently as one of Gerry Dawes’ “Spanish Artisan Wine Group“. All the DO Valdeorras Godellos have to be monovarietal and this was as good a place as any to start. It had some of the minerality which characterises the wines of this Denominación de Origen, but with plenty of richness in the mouth to accompany the green apple crispness.
I moved straight to the table next door to Bodegas Ruchel and their prize-winning Godello. Their 2009 Godello was voted Galicia’s best white wine in 2010, the first Godello to achieve this accolade, and I thought this 2011 had genuine elegance despite having been bottled very recently.
To be honest, I found the Mencía’s initially harder to warm to. This was partly becaude the Godello’s stole the show for me, and the Mencía’s seemed less sophisticated alongside them, and also lacking some of the stylishness of the more famous Mencías from neighbouring DO Bierzo. However, I did warm to them as I went on. I enjoyed the carbonic maceration Mencía from Joaquín Rebolledo, and the reds and whites from the Jesús Nazareno cooperative
I’m sorry to say that my notes got mislaid. I remember enjoying the Godella “sobre lías” from Bodegas Carballal and also Adega A Coroa, all the wines from Bodega Godeval, the “joven” and the “barrica” from Adegas Quinta da Peza. Iwas pleased to try the Viñaredo from Santa Marta Bodegas made from the Sousón grape I had not previously heard of
I could go on, but my message is to keep an eye out for the Godellos from Valdeorras and take every chance you get to try them. The Mencías are fresh and fun, too, and it will be interesting to see what they do with this variety in the coming years to give it the distinct imprint of this DO.
Here is a list of all the bodegas that took part in the event on April 12 2012 in Valencia, with apologies to those for which my tasting notes went astray:
Bodega Cooperativa Jesús Nazareno
http://www.joaquinrebolledo.com/
Viña Somoza, Bodegas y Viñedos
Bioca (Bodega María Teresa Núñez Vega)
Bodega Eladio Santalla Paradelo
