2015 Valdesil Valteiro María Ardoña

Gold was once mined in the Galician region of Valdeorras, the 'golden' valley, but today it is wine. In particular white wine from a special grape, godello and red wine from the grape Mencia. The variety grows on slopes and on plateaus around the river Sil and has been successfully transformed into fine wines. The Valdesil family domain is one of the most prominent houses that sources its grapes from all kinds of small plots, partly granite-containing, partly sandy, partly with slate. The sticks are often very old (top). Val De Sil has made the Godello and Mencia wines from the Valley de Sil famous.

Bodegas Valdesil is located in Vilamartín de Valdeorras in the deep west of Spain, approximately 180 km southeast of Santiago de Compostela. The history of the winery begins in the year 1885, when the winegrower José Ramón Gayoso began planting godello grape vines on the slate slopes of the Sil valley. Everyone made fun of him at the time. Although Gayoso later gave up the vineyard, the plants survived, and today the same genetic material is still used here. The modern history of the winery starts in 1991. In that year the Prada-Gayoso family brings the vineyards back in top condition. Today the winery covers 20 ha. Of these, many are small plots of old godello plants. Some vineyards are located at the best spots of Valdeorras, especially on the sunny slopes at Córgomo and Portel. The red grape variety mencía is also grown here. A total of six wines are made from both grape varieties. Bodegas Valdesil is one of the most reliable producers in Galicia, "a very reliable source for quality wines from Valdeorras", says Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.