The 2010 Lapena is from a single parcel of 38-year-old north-facing Godello vines. It has a lifted nose of dried pineapple and a touch of quince that is supremely well defined and exhibits impressive mineralite and tension. The palate is very well-balanced on the entry that has touches of peach skin and nectarine, a hint of spice with continued aeration. It is reminiscent of a fine Provencal white as the aromatics open their arms. The palate is very well-balanced with a keen thread of acidity running through from start to finish: subtle notes of frangipane, white peach, dried apricot, white pepper and lemon curd. It is beautifully balanced with real persistency toward the harmonious, elegant finish. This is too good to spit out! Drink now-2017.
Occasionally you have to journey to remote areas in order to reach some of Spain’s finest producers, but the long drive to Dominio do Bibei to meet winemaker Javier Dominguez and his team was certainly worth it. Though winemaking in this part of Ribeira Sacra dates back centuries, the winery is unapologetically modern in design, as each disconnected building dedicated to one part of the vinification process cascades down the gorge. The vines occupy steep loam and clay terraces over granite and slate bedrock that are low in organic material, located between 300 and 670 meters in altitude. Javier came across as a deeply philosophical person with strong tenets about his wines, which exuded great purity and varietal expression, almost Burgundy-like in their tannin profile, but with a little more fruit intensity. What I enjoyed was their precision and symmetry – wines that demand concentration before sitting back and simply enjoying them.
Importer: De Maison Selections (USA); www.demaisonselections.com; and Carte Blanche (UK)
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