Having recently relaxed my own rules governing the selection of each week's wine, so that I am (slightly) less obsessed with finding new grape varieties, I have stretched things to an almost ridiculous degree. This week E is for Spain.
Week E (2015) Pazo das Donas, Godello, DO Monterrei, 2012. Tesco £7.99
I am quite pleased with the result because in March 2014, when the wine of the week was an Albarino (guess which week), I mentioned that at a tasting I had lead on the wines of North West Spain I had included a Godello and that the universal reaction of my audience was not even remotely positive.
This had been a disappointment as I had chosen the bottle on the advice of the manager at Majestic but it didn't match his description. I think there was a lesson for me on that occasion as, with the benefit of hindsight and the removal of the pressure generated by my 'expert' status at the tasting, I recognise that it had been a bad bottle and that I should have returned it.
Why am I now confident that this was the case? Simple, this week's Godello comes much closer to matching my expectations that had been set previously. There is one difference and that is the description I was given compared the wine to a white Burgundy, from which I assumed there would be a buttery, oak influenced flavour. There isn't, but this wine does have the feel and profile of an unoaked Chardonnay, with its medium bodied, apple, pear and peachey fruit flavours. Chardonnay is so popular because it is so versatile. I don't know if Godello is equally versatile, but it competes well as a fresh, clean fruit driven, but with wet stone minerality, version. Good value, too.
There is a small percentage of another North-Western Spanish variety, Treixadura, in the blend and this is a grape that crops up in many wines of the region. It typically adds floral and citrus notes and I have to conclude either this has a very small splash, or that my palate needs sharpening.
The specific bit of NW Spain from which this wine comes is Monterrei, which can be found on the Northern Portuguese border, where there is plenty of rain (700mm) but also plenty of long warm or even hot and dry summer days, and that's a great combination for our fruit of choice.
Good wine, good price. Good health!
I am quite pleased with the result because in March 2014, when the wine of the week was an Albarino (guess which week), I mentioned that at a tasting I had lead on the wines of North West Spain I had included a Godello and that the universal reaction of my audience was not even remotely positive.
This had been a disappointment as I had chosen the bottle on the advice of the manager at Majestic but it didn't match his description. I think there was a lesson for me on that occasion as, with the benefit of hindsight and the removal of the pressure generated by my 'expert' status at the tasting, I recognise that it had been a bad bottle and that I should have returned it.
Why am I now confident that this was the case? Simple, this week's Godello comes much closer to matching my expectations that had been set previously. There is one difference and that is the description I was given compared the wine to a white Burgundy, from which I assumed there would be a buttery, oak influenced flavour. There isn't, but this wine does have the feel and profile of an unoaked Chardonnay, with its medium bodied, apple, pear and peachey fruit flavours. Chardonnay is so popular because it is so versatile. I don't know if Godello is equally versatile, but it competes well as a fresh, clean fruit driven, but with wet stone minerality, version. Good value, too.
There is a small percentage of another North-Western Spanish variety, Treixadura, in the blend and this is a grape that crops up in many wines of the region. It typically adds floral and citrus notes and I have to conclude either this has a very small splash, or that my palate needs sharpening.
The specific bit of NW Spain from which this wine comes is Monterrei, which can be found on the Northern Portuguese border, where there is plenty of rain (700mm) but also plenty of long warm or even hot and dry summer days, and that's a great combination for our fruit of choice.
Good wine, good price. Good health!
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