We first discovered these incredible, fresh, mineral-driven white wines produced by Rafael Palacios way back in 2006 when we dined at the Mediterranean-Greek restaurant  Kokkari in San Francisco!  Yes, Rafael is the brother of one of Spain’s most famous winemakers and pioneer of Priorat, Alvaro Palacios.  Not wanting to follow in his brother’s big footsteps, he chose to focus on his love for the Godello grape variety grown in the warmer interior of Galicia in northwest Spain.  These wine have a tremendous following at The Wine Consultant, and have gained increasing popularity while found on the wine lists of award-winning restaurants.  They always achieve extremely high ratings and are very limited so do not hesitate to order immediately.

While Valdeorras is located in Galicia in Northwestern Spain, it is not always a cool and humid Atlantic climate as it is in other parts of the province like the coastal Rias Baxias known for its acid-driven Albarino.  Given its land-locked location, it is one of the appellations in Galicia that often experiences Mediterranean and Continental climates, along with Atlantic influences as well, depending on the vintage.   Godello is not easy to master as it can easily spiral into rich and tropical, especially in challenging years when summers are very hot, as we are experiencing more and more these days. The additional challenge for Godello is it has a shorter window of “optimal ripeness”, so you can’t just pick it early for acidity as you might with, say, Chardonnay. Under ripe Godello, unfortunately, can be somewhat bitter. Nonetheless, how the vines are taken care of, where the vines are located, and how the grapes and musts are handled in the cellar are the keys to taking this variety from the ordinary to the sublime. And only under the fastidious and watchful eye of a master like Rafael Palacios do all these factors combine correctly to produce results that consistently make him one of Spain’s greatest winemakers.

“Rafa” started his project in 2004 and has slowly cobbled together 32 plots totaling 24.5 hectares of Godello vines through purchase or long-term lease.  All these vines are in the municipality of O Bolo close to the Bibei River on the western edge of the appellation at the high elevation of 620-740 meters.  Most of these plots, or Sortes (Galician for parcels) are relatively steep, so are planted on terraces to prevent erosion. In this area, across the Bibei from the eastern edge of Ribeira Sacra, we find granitic-based soils as opposed to the clay/limestone and schist soils that predominate in the region, on flatter terrain and at lower altitudes as well.  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. Rafael and his team oversee all the vineyard work in this remote and rugged terrain, as well as all of the winemaking.

The lineup of affordable wines begins with Louro do Bolo which is made from their younger vine parcels and is fermented naturally in 35 hl foudres and aged on the fine lees for 4 months before bottling. The result is a wine that is clear and precise, with a fine minerality buried in a nicely textured base of pear-citrus fruit, sort of like the drink-me-now, fine Chablis AC, compared to his higher 1er/Grand Cru cuvées that take it up a few notches.

• Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (Luis Gutiérrez) – 93 Points: Louro do Bolo is made from Rafa’s younger vine parcels, and is fermented naturally in 35 hl foudres and aged on the fine lees for 4 months before bottling. The result is a wine that is clear and precise, with a fine mineral core propping up a nicely textured base of fruit. Plump but tense with some exotic notes, this wine is extremely food friendly.
• Vinous – 93 Points: Highlighted the wine’s nuanced layers of hay, anise, acacia, and a hint of reduction over subtle barrel influence. The review praises its ability to balance a dry, intense richness with vibrant, delicate acidity.
• James Suckling – 93 Points: Described the nose as vibrant, revealing lime, grapefruit, and a zesty, saline edge. The palate is called “linear and well-composed, showing precision and freshness”.