Castro Ventosa - El Castro de Valtuille Godello 2020
Price: $30.99
Sale Price: $24.99
| Producer | Castro Ventosa |
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| Country | Spain |
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| Region | Bierzo |
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| Varietal | Godello |
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| Vintage | 2020 |
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| Sku | 17756 |
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| Size | 750ml |
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Godello is one of my favorite white grapes, and nobody does it better than Raul Perez!
Godello is a variety with a lot of street cred among wine geeks. Its ability to reflect terroir along with beautiful fruit has Spanish vintners believing this is grape that will put Spanish whites “on the map.”
It all starts with the intense aromas - an explosion of apricot and peach notes, but there's also a floral spiciness, freesia, that adds an extra dimension. The wine is aged on the lees for 12 months resulting in a rich, rounded mouthfeel that complements the vibrant acidity. As the importer says, "Its full-bodied creaminess makes it a delight for the taste buds, while its crispness makes it easy drinking." Best of both worlds! The wine is fleshed out with rich, round tropical melon and ripe apricot fruits on top of juicy lime flavors. There’s also anise, fresh herbs, and a saline mineral quality running throughout. The finish is rich and round, giving it enough weight to move beyond the traditional light fish or salad pairings. Grilled trout, pan-fried pork sausages, or a good ole oyster po’boy, there are pairings galore for this beauty of a wine! Hmmm... or if you're feeling adventurous, how 'bout some grilled octopus with paprika?
Usually, you can find frozen octopus in the grocery store. Run them under some cold water to thaw them enough to pull apart. Then make a court-bouillon. "Wait, Todd... you're getting fancy..." Not really... all it is is water, enough to cover the octopus by an inch, a cup or so of white wine, half a head of garlic, a bay leaf, a small handful of peppercorns and a little salt.
Bring it up to a simmer and add the octopus. Then walk away for an hour, give or take. Take the octopus out and put in a bowl, then stick in the fridge. Then fire up the grill. When its good and ready, cut the octopus in half (discard the heads). Then toss the octopus in olive oil, salt and a little lemon juice. Then throw it on the grill. Don't worry if it flames up - you want that! Heck, I dumped the excess oil right on the coals to really get some smoke and flame! The octopus is only going to be on there for a couple of minutes so go for it!
Wine Advocate: 93 Points
"2020 is a very good vintage for whites too, even if the 2020 El Castro de Valtuille Godello has 1% more alcohol than the 2019 and is a little rounder. In 2020 they stopped doing any maceration and did a direct pressing of the destemmed grapes, so the wines are going to be a bit lighter than in the past. They don't do rackings or stir the lees, and they don't use any yeasts or oenological products. It's more Burgundian and more textured, with depth and complexity. 6,300 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2021, three weeks before I tasted it, and the wine felt a bit tight but quite sound and serious."
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