Classification: DO Valdeorras

Color: Full-bodied white wine

Country: Spain

Region: Galicia

Producer: Rafael Palacios, Ourense

Grape varieties: godello 96%, treixadura 4%

Winemaking: The specially selected grapes are harvested by hand. After cold maceration, pressing follows, débourbage of the must and fermentation in large wooden foudres of 30 hl from the Calvados region. After fermentation, the wine matures for 4 to 5 months on the lees with limited bâtonnage. No malo. After clarification, bottling follows. The treixadura is blended with the godello before bottling and gives the Louro do Bolo some extra freshness.

Producer information: Rafael Palacios is the youngest of nine children and grew up in Alfaro in Rioja Oriental (Baja). At the family business, he raised the level of white wines and around 2004 decided it was time to step out of the shadow of his famous brother Álvaro and start his own company in Valdeorras. Godello has won his heart, and Rafael has established a model company with 26 ha of vineyards, high up in the Bibei valley. In addition, he controls and contracts nearly 10 ha and has recently planted new vineyards. Vineyards from 18 to 35 years old such as Chandoiro, Lentellais, and Santa Cruz do Bolo are located at over 600 meters altitude in the area around O Bolo. Soils here consist of sand and granite. Low yields of max 45 hl/ha for the Louro up to 25 hl/ha for the As Sortes. Plant density on the beautifully laid out terraces is 6,500 to 9,000 vines per ha. As Sortes is a wine from six plots of 50 to 60-year-old vines (Os Caneiros, A Coalleira, Souto dos Santos, Alexos, Val de Anta, O Castiñeiro: a total of 4.2 ha) from Santa Cruz do Bolo, at 680 meters altitude with a more northern exposure, all in the Val do Bibei, or the valley of the Bibei river. O Soro (0.5 ha) is a vineyard planted in 1978 at 710 meters altitude with a southwest exposure. Biodynamic cultivation here and certified in 2021.

Area data: The Valdeorras area (valley of goud) is located in the eastern part of Galicia, in the far northwest of Spain. The area, with almost 1,200 ha of vineyards, lies to the east of the city of Ourense/Orense, bordered by Ribeira Sacra to the west and Bierzo to the east, which is considered part of Castilla y León. Vineyards are often found on terraces along rivers such as the Sil, Xares, and Bibei. Slightly more white wine is produced than red. Here, quality godello is king and mencía generally plays a less important role in terms of quality. Other varieties include treixadura, loureira, doña blanca, palomino, and for reds, merenzao, garnacha, brancellao, etc. Godello has a lower yield per hectare than the other white varieties. The climate is continental/mediterranean with less oceanic influence than in other areas of Galicia. The soils in Valdeorras contain slate and stones, or granite and sand, and soils with more sediment and stones. Rainfall is between 850 and 1,100 mm per year, so less than on the coast in Rías Baixas. The area has over 1,450 winegrowers and 44 wineries. Pruning is both traditional and vaso (gobelet) as well as trained.

Serving suggestions: With fish dishes, shellfish and crustaceans, light white meats and poultry, sweetbreads, tapas, pasta and rice dishes, Asian/Arabic flavors, vegetable dishes such as asparagus, salads.

Serving temperature: 8 to 10ºC

Other information: The godello grape is considered one of the best white grape varieties of Spain and Portugal, where it is called gouveio (real) in the Douro. In the Dão it is called verdelho (a different variety from the verdelho from Madeira) and in Spain, in (Tierra de) León, it is called prieto picudo blanco. Its origin is therefore probably from the Río Sil in Galicia.