Mengoba Godello Viejo
Auteur White • El Bierzo
"The nobility of old vines: a cult white wine that redefines Godello through octogenarian vines, achieving a silky structure and a deep slate minerality."
Nobility and Heroic Viticulture
The 2022 Mengoba Godello Viejo is a jewel of Spanish viticulture signed by Gregory Pérez. Born in the slate soils of Espanillo, this wine comes from high-mountain plots over 80 years old. Its production shuns industrial standards: it is fermented and aged in large-capacity foudres to gain volume and unctuousness on its own lees, resulting in a white wine with the "soul of a red," powerful, vertical, and loaded with an unmistakable territorial identity.
1. Identity Profile
- Winery: Bodegas y Viñedos Mengoba.
- Origin: D.O. Bierzo (Espanillo), León, Spain.
- Varietal: 100% Godello from octogenarian vines.
- Aging: On fine lees in wooden foudres with battonage.
- Terroir: High-altitude slate and clay soils.
- Alcohol Content: 13.5% Alc. Vol.
2. Sommelier Notes
Appearance: Intense straw yellow with beautiful golden reflections; denotes density and brilliance in the glass.
Nose: Elegantly complex. Aromas of ripe white fruit, mountain herbs, and fennel intertwine with a metallic, stony mineral presence (slate) that is the hallmark of Espanillo.
Palate: Powerful and glyceric entry. It presents a vertical, citrusy acidity that perfectly balances its unctuousness. The finish is long, saline, and deeply mineral.
3. Structural Analysis
VOLUME / FLESHINESS [ ● ● ● ● ● ]
MINERAL PROFILE (SLATE) [ ● ● ● ● ● ]
ACIDITY / FRESHNESS [ ● ● ● ● ○ ]
AGING POTENTIAL [ ● ● ● ● ● ]
4. Haute Cuisine Pairing
Noble Fish: Grilled wild turbot, cod "al pil-pil," or hake in green sauce.
Fatty Textures: Veal sweetbreads, roasted poulard, or crispy suckling pig. Its vertical acidity perfectly cleanses the palate.
Service: Recommended to enjoy between 10°C and 12°C to appreciate its aromatic complexity without inhibiting its unctuousness.
5. The Legacy of Gregory Pérez
Gregory Pérez has achieved in Mengoba a perfect harmony between the Burgundian tradition of aging and the ruggedness of the Leonese terroir. By working old vines in an artisanal way, every bottle of Godello Viejo is a testament to longevity and purity, positioning itself as one of the white wines with the greatest personality in Spain.