2017 Spain

From the highlands of Valencia, at more than 2,500 feet altitude, lies the Mustigullo winery which has been at the head of the renaissance for the indigenous Bobal grape since its creation in 1990. Mustiguillo also uses another obscure indigenous white grape, Merseguera, for its white wines as well as producing an olive oil.

This is a very elegant wine with a rich citrus core lifted by subtle floral notes of white blossom. It has spent time on its fine lees which adds texture to the mouth-feel. This is a crisp but complex multi-layered wine with a distinctive minerality and salinity to the finish. Drink now to 2020.

Fermented in foudre (large oak), this is Rafa’s “entry-level” Godello but there is nothing simple about it; yields were incredibly low in the 2017 vintage due to frost and drought, so the fruit is even more concentrated and complex than normal. The nose is full of peach, crunchy pear and soft minerality, while the palate is taut and saline. There’s a citrus and mineral intensity, with real palate weight which creates a textured mouth-feel. This is a fascinatingly different wine from the previous vintage but nonetheless maintains that same streak of pure salinity that defines Rafa’s wines and which underlines why he is often referred to as the best white winemaker in Spain.
Catriona Felstead MW, Wine Buyer

The 2017 vintage was complicated, with severe frosts and drier conditions than usual resulting in around 40 percent less production than in a normal year for As Sortes. The resultant wine however has incredible concentration and ripeness but, despite that, the whole profile of this wine remains about finesse and elegance. The nose has a touch of tropical green fruit coming through, yet is still fine and fresh. The palate contains a touch of passionfruit and guava yet the overriding sense is of juicy lemons, with a pithy backbone maintaining freshness. All the expected stone and saline character of fine Godello still comes through and the wine is straight-backed and refreshing. This is a fascinating and delicious expression of As Sortes. Drink 2019 to 2025.