As Sortes Val de Bibei Valdeorras Godello, 2007

I had an almost sexual attraction for this wine when I first saw it on the shelves of D&W FreshMarkets. It is in a big heavy Burgundian bottle with a classy label. It is imported by Eric Solomon (always a good sign). And it is Godello, after all, a Spanish white that I have become quite fond of. But it was priced at $25 a bottle, and I admired it from afar until one day, as if by magic, the price was lowered to $14. I jumped at the opportunity and bought a few bottles.

The first bottle, which I had on July 12 of last year, was quite good, albeit with lots of lime and vanilla suggesting extravagant new oak treatment. I was dubious about the oak but still assumed it would age well and waited a year before opening the next bottle. Big mistake.

The color tonight is a very deep gold, closer to a well aged Sauternes than a bottle of fine white Burgundy. There are some pleasant floral scents at first but they are followed by stale, oxidized notes. Same on the palate. This wine is not undrinkable, but at age six, it has clearly seen its better days. Very disappointing.

I now remember reading an article in the New York Times about a big tasting of Godellos. The As Sortes was the most expensive of the bunch, and it got the lowest rating. Too much oak and too much winemaking manipulation was the assessment. And I agree. Like a beach bunny tan, excessive treatment with new oak can make a young wine appear very sexy. And it can also make this wine age prematurely. Big and buttery? No thanks.