Viernes de Godelia 2023
The authentic flavours of the D.O. Bierzo in a young Mencía from an Excellent vintage
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Viernes de Godelia 2023 is the latest vintage of a spectacular Bierzo wine that’s the most youthful version made from the Mencía grape variety and embodies the authentic character of this area particularly well. It was grown on selected plots and comes from a vintage classified as Excellent in the D.O. Bierzo.
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General features
General Information
Viernes de Godelia 2023 is one of the best wines to be had if you want to discover the powerful personality of the Mencía grape, the star variety of the D.O. Bierzo, which is increasingly widely grown in other regions such as Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras. This variety is notable for its intense, aromatic flavours with fruity and spicy notes and captivates drinkers wherever it goes. The red is made by Godelia, a winery established by the García Rodríguez family in 2009 with the aim of developing grape growing in this famous area.
Viernes de Godelia 2023 is a single-varietal Mencía grown on vines more than 30 years old and planted in soils with a mixture of slate, quartzite and clay, located at an altitude of 500 to 700 metres above sea level in plots with sunlight and a microclimate with a personality of its own. Following initial cold maceration, it was perfected for 4 months on the fine lees, turning into an elegant red. Earlier versions have impressed critics, as borne out by the 90 points the Peñín guide awarded to the previous two vintages, 2021 and 2022, both rated Excellent, like this 2023 version.
Viernes de Godelia 2023 comes with four different label designs. It’s a young red that’s easy to drink with characteristics that make it ideal for enjoying as an aperitif. It’s also ideal with char-grilled beef entrecote or wild mushrooms sautéed with ham.
Tasting notes
Cherry-red of medium intensity and a violet rim. Intense nose with aromas of fresh wild fruit together with floral and wooded aromas and subtle mineral hints. Tasty, fresh and elegant, slightly marked by subtle tannins and a long, lingering finish.
The winery
Bodegas Godelia (2009) has quickly established itself as one of the new benchmarks for wines from Bierzo. Owned by the García Rodríguez family, descendants of Galician farmers, the winery is located in one of the best areas of the D.O. Bierzo, in the village of Pieros in the municipality of Cacabelos, along the Camino de Santiago. It is built in the style of the typical large houses of Bierzo, perfectly integrated into the surroundings, and equipped with the latest winemaking technology and a barrel park with vats of different capacities.
Godelia is supported by high-quality old vineyards: it draws from more than 40 hectares of vines spread across various plots, with different altitudes and orientations, on slate soils that impart a distinctive minerality to its wines. It has some mencía vines that are over eighty years old and produce low yields. It also cultivates the white godello grape. Godelia is also one of the main wine tourism destinations in Bierzo.