2014 Sorte O Soro

Godello. O Soro was born of a single plot that caught Rafa's attention when he arrived in Valdeorras. The vineyard is located to the north of Val do Bibei. Soils are granitic with a substantial presence of finer sands, large amounts of rocks of metamorphic origin and quartz shales. Fermented and aged in 500-litre oak barrels. Tasted blind. The wine has extra concentration and depth. It is an impressive stream of fresh fruit, anise like aromas and a stony character. The oak is superbly integrated giving texture and a touch of spice. This is a seamless wine full of energy. I am really impressed by its purity and delineation. Is this the best Godello? (FC)

I was really looking forward to tasting the 2014 Sorte O Soro, a wine that had really impressed me in the only two previous vintages, 2011 and 2009. The plot called Sorte O Soro was planted with Godello grapes 41 years ago on a southwest-facing plot at 720 meters altitude in the Bibei Valley, in the Santa Cruz village belonging to O Bolo in Valdeorras. The soils are granite based, with fine sand, quartz and schist elements, and produce very elegant wines with a rare combination of high acidity and perfect ripening. In this case the must fermented in new 500-liter French oak barrels where the wine matured in contact with the fine lees for seven months. There is no trace of oak here, there is great elegance, and has marked aromas of tangerine peel and magnolia flowers, very subtle and elegant with subdued minerality. There is superb elegance in the palate too, gobsmacking acidity and astonishing balance; it is ethereal but at the same time pungent, the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove, with the electric minerality of granite. This has world class elegance, one of the best whites produced in Spain. If I was impressed by the other vintages, this 2014 is even better. Bravo! 2,800 bottles were filled in June 2015.

First vintage 2009. Bottled mid-June 2014. Eight months in new barrique. Sampled by Coravin. Stunning oak scent at first, with lemongrass, tangerine and mint. Really profound flavour range, with salt, grapefruit, orange pith and plenty more besides. (RH)