Viña
Godeval is 100% estate-grown Godello.
Godello
was once widely planted in the Valdeorras region of northwestern Spain.
It is inherently difficult to grow, and by the 1970s it was nearly
extinct. The founders of Viña Godeval, Horacio Hernandez and Jose
Louis Bartolome, were instrumental in rescuing this heirloom grape
from the brink of extinction. Their first bottling was in 1986 and
its success has inspired other producers to follow suit.
Godello
is often compared to Galicia's other famous white grape, Albariño.
In comparison, Godello tends to be more aromatic and more mineral.
Viña
Godeval’s 17 hectares of vineyard are planted entirely to Godello.
These surround the 13th century Monastery of San Miguel de Xagoaza
- pictured on the label. Once an important cultural and administrative
institution, like the Godello vine, it had succumbed to neglect until
it was restored in 1987.
2007
Viña Godeval earned 90 points in Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine
Cellar:
“Bright
gold. Strikingly fresh, complex bouquet of white flowers, pear, blood
orange, smoky minerals and lees. Racy and sharply focused, with intense
orchard fruit and floral honey flavors underscored by tangy minerality.
A suave blend of vibrant and rich qualities, finishing with strong
mineral bite and lingering citrus notes.”
