Rafael Palacios Louro Do Bolo Valdeorras Godello 2023
Lemon with golden hints. Full of intense aromas of lemon, orange blossom and fennel with a saline edge. On the palate, there is plenty of textural complexity to complement the fruit-forward flavours and mineral finish.
The fruit for this wine comes from parcels located in the municipality of O Bolo, surrounding the villages of Chandoiro, Lentellais, Outardepregos and Santa Cruz do Bolo. The vines are, on average, 25 years old, planted at an altitude of over 600 metres and on sandy granitic soils with clay deposits. The vineyards are managed using organic and biodynamic practices in a bid to honour and respect the traditional way of cultivation.
The grapes were pressed and fermented in35 hectolitre French oak foudres before being aged on fine lees for 4 months prior to bottling.
| RRP | £27.99 |
| Bottle size | 75cl |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Alcoholic strength | 14% |
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Galicia |
| Subregion | Valdeorras |
| Grapes | Godello 100% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 0.93 |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | No |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Natural Cork |
| Winemaker | Pablo Blanco Vilachá |
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.
