93pts Wine Enthusiast
Light yellow in the glass, with flecks of gold, this wine proffers a bouquet of apricot, mint tea and orange zest. It is full in the mouth, with flavors of Valencia orange, lemon, Bartlett pear, sage leaf and vanilla. The finish offers a splash of pineapple and a touch of flint.
92pts Wine Spectator
An enticing white, with aromas and flavors of elderflower, spring forest, ripe pear and preserved lemon set in a fresh, graceful frame. Subtle hints of vanilla, tangerine and anise hyssop add complexity, ringing on the silky finish alongside a slate-laced streak of minerality. Drink now through 2029. 3,000 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.
91pts James Suckling
Dill, green herbs and a touch of stones to the nectarines on the nose. Broad and medium- to full-bodied on the palate, with a round, flavorful finish.
Winemaker's Notes
Sourced from one of the oldest, most traditional vineyards planted in Valdeorras, Avancia Godello expresses the authenticity the history of Valdeorras and the oldest Godello clones in the world. A completely unique white wine that ages beautifully and has been recognized by Robert Parker as Spain's best Godello. Godello was almost extinct at the end of the 1980's, so it is extremely rare to find a Godello produced from a single vineyard planted in 1904.
History
Bodegas Avancia lies snuggled in the slate dominant mountainsides of Valdeorras, high above the Sil River. Named for the extensive gold mining that the Romans conducted in this area, (Val-de-Oras roughly translates to Valley-of-Gold in Latin) Valdeorras is home to the finest terroir for growing two of Spain’s most important indigenous grapes – Godello and Mencía.
Jorge was the first broker to introduce Godello into the United States, and for many years, was the only merchant offering a wine made from this unique grape. Jorge always dreamed of having his own Godello project, and Bodegas Avancia is the result of this dream. Bodegas Avancia produces the finest Godello wines in all of Spain.
In 2016, Robert Parker, Jr. stated “One of my favorite wineries in Spain is Bodegas Avancia. This is a small estate of roughly 23 acres, dry farmed (a characteristic of all of the selections of Jorge Ordóñez), with organic viticulture. Their specialty is working with the Godello grape, which may well be Spain’s finest indigenous white grape. It has the texture of a Chardonnay, but with crisp, mineral and floral notes in its aromatics. Avancia is certainly the top producer of this intriguing and delicious dry white.” Jorge also selected D.O. Valdeorras due to its unique conditions for growing Mencía, Galicia’s most important red grape. The combination of slate soils, high altitudes, old vines, and warmer climate compared to the rest of Galicia provide Valdeorras with the best terroir for growing Mencía.
