2016 Bodegas Rafael Palacios, Valdeorras DO, As Sortes Val do Bibei, Godello (RT94) The fully mature 2016 As Sortes is richly hued, sparkling gold, and at age 9 shows an evolved expression of the Godello grape which is both rich and decadent. Rather dense and unctuous, the bouquet delivers ripe, round notes of Meyer lemon, apricot marmalade, nectarine, white florals and layers of salty minerality that keep washing up on the shores of your olfactory senses. The palate has evolved into a rich and round mouth texture that coats the palate, no doubt the result of it oak cask aging, while the acidity is relatively soft. This is a full throttle bottling of Godello and exemplifies the lofty heights this grape can express when crafted by caring hands. Well done Rafael Palacios, I like what I tasted, but I wouldn’t cellar this too much longer. Drink now-2028 Tasted March 2025.
Rafael Palacios began to assemble various plots of Godello vineyards in 2004. Today these total nearly 25 hectares on the western edge of the Valdeorras appellation. The plots lean toward the steep side for vineyards and are granitic-based soils as opposed to the clay/limestone and schist soils that predominate in the region. These decomposed granitic sands, coupled with a high elevation and elements of biodynamics/organics in the vineyards, help to give the raw material with the potential for world-class white wines. Rafa and his team oversee all the vineyard work in this remote and rugged terrain, as well as all of the winemaking. As Sortes which is made from old vines that are located within six sortes in the northern end of the Bibei Valley that were planted in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These parcels are worked organically with some elements of biodynamics as well. The hand harvested grapes are sorted, soft pressed and fermented, then aged in mostly used 500 L tonneaux for 8 months prior to bottling. The 2016 bottling is surprisingly large with 32,000 bottles made.
