Bodegas “Val de souto”, Castrelo de Miño, D.O. Ribeiro, Galicia, Spain.
Val de Souto is a small family-run Colleiteiro winery in Souto, Castrelo de Miño, in the heart of Ribeiro. The family has been dedicated to viticulture since 1840, and José Manuel Blanco began bottling the estate’s own wines in 2002. Production is very small, around 15,000 bottles per year, from nearly two hectares of estate-owned vineyards.
Their oenologist for the last 15 years has been Pablo Estévez, one of the most highly regarded winemakers in Galicia. Pablo has been recognised by the Unión Española de Catadores / Premios Baco as Best Winemaker of Young Wines in Spain five times in the last six years.
Mr Whirly has been working with this small vineyard in the North west of Spain for 15 years now and I can honestly say its one of my favourite vineyards and the owner and winemaker, Jose Manuel Blanco Perez , is one of my favourite people in the wine world too. Such a lovely man. He, together with Pablo, make wines of culture and finesse; classic & classy wines. When I visited his vineyard last he presented me with a large bowl of rather gelatinous squid, a speciality in this region. It took a while to get use to but once I started sipping the “ Benedictus “ with this dish I started to grow into the idea and the bowl was soon done justice.
New wines just arrived;
Benedictus Fructus, 2024, Godello, D.O. Ribeiro
Clean and bright, pale straw-yellow in colour with olive-green reflections. The nose is intense, elegant and complex, with marked citrus notes of mandarin and grapefruit, together with subtle floral aromas. On the palate it is harmonious and balanced, with well-integrated acidity bringing freshness, length and persistence. Grape: Godello. Alcohol: 13% . Vinification: At least 5 months in stainless steel tanks
Price: £21.5o
Val de Souto “Treixadura”, 2024, D.O. Ribeiro
Clean and bright, lemon-yellow in colour with greenish reflections. The nose is intense and complex, showing aromatic herbs such as mint and bay leaf, over a fruit-driven background of grapefruit and lemon. The palate is very pleasant, rounded and structured, with good length and a final sensation of sweet fruit that makes the wine very moreish. Grape: Treixadura. Alcohol: 13%. Vinification: At least 5 months in stainless steel tanks
Price: £14.25
Val de Souto, “Tinto”, 2024, D.O. Ribeiro
Clean and bright, medium to deep cherry-red in colour with violet reflections. The nose is intense, complex and deep, with a predominance of red fruit such as cherry, raspberry and pomegranate. On the palate it is very pleasant and savoury, with perfectly integrated wood and elegant, lingering fruit.
Grapes: Mencía, Sousón and Brancellao. Production: limited to around 2,652 bottles. Alcohol: 12% . Vinification: At least 5 months in traditional chestnut-wood barrels.
Price: £13.50
