<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" href="http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft" id="blogsy-1359071320796.348" alt="" src="http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg" width="200" height="209" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I rated the <a title="Louro do Bolo Godello 2007: Great Spanish wine" href="http://planetavino.net/2009/04/24/wine-rating-louro-do-bolo-2007/" target="_blank">2007 vintage</a> of this Spanish wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite whites. Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad. I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain's next great white grape.... but it's still on the runway! This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity. Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!</p>
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<p style="text-align: justify;">This wine is from the hand of Rafael Palacios, a member of a very important Spanish wine dynasty. He has broken from the family mold and gone his own way in the northwestern Galician area of Valdeorras, focusing entirely on Godello and seeking to make a truly great Spanish white. When you meet him, and taste his wines with him, he really transmits such a passion and enthusiasm for the region, his vineyards and the grape variety.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Louro do Bolo's big sister As Sortes has set the benchmark in fine Godello since it first came out in 2004. Many still consider it to be Spain's best white wine. In some vintages the As Sortes can be so mineral it's like sucking on stones! Only with time in bottle, decanting can the depth and complexity come out.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As Sortes is quite a special wine but is priced for a special occasion at 30 euros in Spain and 40 dollars on up here in the US. A splurge, but well worth it!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Louro do Bolo, on the other hand, offers glimpses into greatness, but in a much more approachable and friendly package! It is made from grapes from slightly less older vines than the As Sortes and is fermented and aged in large-format foudres, giving only a subtle oak complexity.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This wine is steely enough to go with seafood, yet has some roundness, smoke, complexity that makes it easy to go with so much more! Try it with some mussels in a robust sauce...it's one of my favorites with big cheeses. It's a lot of wine for the price and can be found in Spain for 12 euros and in the US from about 16 dollars on up...what a steal!</p>
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