Rafael Palacios, `As Sortes Val do Bibei` Valdeorras Godello

Since founding his eponymous winery in 2004, Rafael Palacios has fast become one of Spain’s pre-eminent producers of white wine. His 32 parcels of Godello, spread over 28 hectares in the Val do Bibei in Valdeorras, Galicia, produce some of Spain’s most interesting white wines. Here, vines cohabit with the rocks and stones that define the landscape. Sandy soils, derived from decomposed granite, limit vine vigour and the high elevations (from 620-740 metres above sea level) ensure marked diurnal variation and a long growing season.

The hills are so steep that most of the vineyards are planted on terraces buttressed by stones. Rafa’s viticulture is sensitive to the fragile nature of these old terraces, and he has adapted his approach to ensure these magnificent structures are preserved. Some of the older plots (or ‘sortes’ in Galician) are farmed biodynamically.

Rafa’s ‘Louro do Bolo’ is made from small parcels of Godello with an average age of 25 years, grown at over 600 metres above sea level. The juice is fermented in 35-hectolitre French oak foudres, then aged on lees for four months before bottling. The wine has a lovely flinty character on the nose that gives way to aromas of wild mountain flowers. On the palate, it has a taut, saline fruit with wonderful textural complexity.

‘As Sortes’ is made from Rafa’s oldest vineyards, planted at an elevation of over 680 metres above sea level. These vines have an average age of over 40 years and were planted with a selection of cuttings from the oldest vines in the region. These cuttings were taken during the recovery plan in the late 1970s; a successful attempt to revive and retain what were then varieties at risk of extinction. Fermented in 500-litre oak barrels, ‘As Sortes’ is aged for eight months before bottling. The wine displays purity and precision, with delightful richness on the palate.

Rafa’s ‘Sorte Antiga’ is sourced from a plot of ungrafted bush vine Godello, planted in 1920 on shallow, decomposed granite soils. These old vines produce very low yields and small bunches, producing intense aromatics. After harvest, the grapes are fermented on skins in open oak vats, followed by 12 months of ageing in used barrels. The wine is textural and complex, with exceptional personality and impressive length.

The `Sorte O Soro` is produced from a single vineyard planted in 1978. Planted at 710 metres above sea level, on the northern side of the Bibei Valley, the site experiences cooling breezes. This, combined with the site’s unique, low-vigour clone, produces a wine which expertly balances revitalising freshness with powerful concentration. It has been described by Luis Gutiérrez (The Wine Advocate) as “amongst the best white wines ever produced in Spain. This is the stuff that dreams are made of.”