Gargalo Godello 2024

Gargalo Godello comes from D.O. Monterrei, in inland Galicia near the Portuguese border, the project of Bodegas Gargalo on the hillsides above Verín. The eight hectare vineyard averages twenty five to thirty years of age and sits in an Atlantic climate tempered by continental influences, so warm days give ripeness while cool nights hold the acidity firm. Godello, the region's leading white grape, responds to this with both fruit weight and freshness. The wine is made in a young, unoaked style, with fermentation in stainless steel to keep the fruit clean and the aromatics primary, and a short rest before bottling preserves its vitality. The colour is pale lemon with green highlights. The nose is fresh, with green apple and pear alongside white peach and a clear citrus note, lifted by white flowers. The palate is medium bodied for the grape, with bright acidity, a light mineral grip and a clean, faintly saline finish that reflects the granite and slate soils of Monterrei. Serve it at 9 to 11 degrees in a white wine glass. It suits white fish, shellfish, fresh salads and lighter poultry, and drinks well on its own.