Fedellos do Couto Conasbrancas 2018

Sale $29.99

93+ pts Wine Advocate

I don’t even remember how this bottle ended up in my hands… and I didn’t even know what it was. I just popped it and drank it. Well, that’s not true, because after the first glass, and over my wife’s objections, I just HAD to get to work: What is this? Where is it from? How much does it cost? How much can I get?

It all starts with the “Brats” (Fedellos) of Couto… wait… y’know what? It’s Friday. And I only have 5 cases. I’ll put a link to the backstory, and you can read it while you are drinking!

The wine is just so pure… aged entirely in large used oak barrels that impart no flavor, but add richness to the naturally round Godello (50%) and Dona Blanca (25%). It’s the aromas that hooked me… incredibly floral with notes of pears and apricots that lead into a rounded wine. It’s not fruit-forward, although there is certainly an underlying abundance of fruit… rather, it is a perfectly balanced example of what a true “field blend” can be: a masterpiece greater than the sum of its parts, in this case, at least six different white grapes. There’s vibrant acidity and a somewhat saline finish that screams “fresh” and begs for food. Freshwater fish, eg, NC Trout, would be a perfect match.

Okay… here’s the tasting note… followed by a link to the backstory. Bottom line? Do you enjoy delicious and interesting white wine? And do you trust me? If yes, then grab some!

“The one white here was produced with grapes from different old vineyards in different parishes of the village of Manzaneda (Soutipedre, Seoane, Langullo) within the Val do Bibei and is a blend of approximately 50% Godello, 25% Dona Branca and the remaining 25% a mixture of varieties, including Treixadura, Colgadeira and Palomino, etc. The current release is the 2018 Conasbrancas, from a very cold and rainy vintage, when they fermented 70% of the grapes with full clusters in plastic bins and the rest pressed and fermented in barrique. The wine matured in used 300- and 500-liter oak barrels for seven months with the lees but without bâtonnage. It has a characterful nose, with no oak whatsoever, very floral, with intense notes of pollen. The palate is terribly balanced, with pungent flavors and integrated acidity, effervescent and sharp, with a salty finish. The effect of the skins is quite subtle, and there's no visible color or tannin. Perhaps it has been polished by the time in oak. It has good depth and is quite complete.” WA

for more info, cick here... Fedellos do Couto | European Cellars


Or reply. The wine is available now in Chapel Hill. Tuesday, as ordered, in Hillsborough.