Valdesil Godello Sobre Lías 2024

Valdesil makes this Godello in D.O. Valdeorras, in the province of Ourense in inland Galicia, from a selection of small parcels planted on slate slopes at around 500 metres. The winery was central to reviving Godello, and its old vines, roughly thirty years of age, are worked and harvested entirely by hand, with a careful sorting on arrival at the cellar. The steep slate soils drain sharply and reflect heat while the altitude keeps nights cool, so the grapes ripen fully yet retain firm acidity and a mineral cut. After fermentation the wine spends five months on its fine lees in stainless steel. Regular contact with the lees releases mannoproteins that build a creamy, rounded texture and add a savoury depth without any oak. The wine is bright pale gold. The nose shows lemon and apricot with white peach and white flowers over a stony, faintly waxy note. The palate is fresh and precise, its creaminess balanced by citrus acidity and a saline, mineral finish that reflects the slate. Serve at 9 to 11 degrees in a white wine glass. It suits richer fish, poultry and hard cheeses.