2017 Rafael Palacios As Sortes Godello Val do Bibei

(94 Points) The 2017 As Sortes was bottled in September 2018, a good couple of months before I tasted it next to the 2016. It's always interesting to be able to taste two consecutive vintages together, as it's easier to see the differences between the two years. This 2017 seems to have plenty of power without loosing its freshness. The élevage in 500-liter barrels with fine lees was a little longer, up to eight months. Most of the grapes used for this 2017 were from the second harvest of the second sprouting of the grapes that were burned by frost, which means a short cycle (even if the finish was slow) and grapes with vibrant acidity. I say this because the year was warm, and there is no heat in this wine at all. In fact, it's very fresh, with crystalline purity, poised, elegant and nuanced. I am truly impressed by this 2017, which feels very young and undeveloped but with great potential. Truly impressive. Quantities were reduced because of the severe spring frosts. -Robert Parker's Wine Advocate