What?
Juice 2019 Godello, Louro, Rafa Palacios, Valdeorras, Galicia, SPA
Grape 100% Godello
Farming Vegan
Tasting Note The nose has intense aromas of citrus fruits, wild mountain flowers, hints of fennel and flinty nuances. On the palate, it is fruit-forward supported by a taut, saline minerality and a textural complexity.
Who?
Since starting his own winery in 2004, Rafael Palacios has fast become one of Spain’s pre-eminent producers of white wine. His 32 parcels of Godello, which are spread over 19.5 hectares in the Val do Bibei in Valdeorras, Galicia, produce some of Spain’s most interesting white wines. The vines are planted on steep hills turned into 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. His viticulture is low intervention, with some of the older plots (or ‘sortes’ in Galician) being farmed biodynamically.
Why?
We just love Rafa Palacios’ wines. He is an absolute genius and is so passionate about the Godello variety that he focuses on producing wines from this grape alone. He is waiving the flag for the potential of the variety on a world stage and many regard his premium wines as some of the world’s greatest white wines (we are one of the many who believe this). Weight, Texture, Body, Structure, Layers, Complexity, this wine just seems to have all of these facets in all the right quantities. It is just so god damn balanced, delicious and moreish.
With?
Galicia is without doubt one of the culinary capitals of the world so it makes sense that our pairing inspiration is a regional one. El Pulpo a La Gallega (Galician Octopus) must surely be one of the regions’ most famous dishes and its charm is in its rustic simplicity. Boiled, salted and sprinkled with paprika before serving on a rough wooden board, the distinct texture, saltiness and subtle paprika spice is a wonderful combination, particularly when paired with Rafa’s Godello as the weight of the wine holds up against the robust flavours and the saline elements in both wine and dish harmonise beautifully.
