By cork
I challenge anyone to find a better white wine at 13 bucks. Key word, better. As good—yes, there probably are a few. Usually, you can at best ascribe only one or two of the following qualities to an under-$15 white, but with the 2015 MERAYO Godello all apply: 1) top-notch fruit character, 2) very good structure, 3) purity, 4) distinctive personality and 5) excellent length. At the top of my head, I can’t recall a white wine in this price range that has a finish that just goes on and on like this Godello (pronounced goh-DAY-yo) does.
Godello is one of several exotic white wines that come out of Spain (Albariño and Viura, the dominant white grape of Rioja, are two of the more commonly found in U.S. territory). The Merayo Godello is, I guess you could say, a cross between a Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc. Dry but also has body and weight, and good amount of acidity but also soft, round and slightly sweet on the mid-palate. The wine possesses a nose of bright, zesty citrus followed by generous fruit flavors of green apple and pear, topped off with an element of exotic spice. Ah yes, that note of exoticism we all love in Spanish wines. It’s all delivered so clean and bright, and with persistence. A scintillating Spanish white. –J.M.
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