2023 Cesar Marquez Perez El Val Godello

Cesar Marquez has Bierzo running through his veins, and is the latest generation of the Perez family to own the leading Castro Ventosa winery in north-western Spain. Growing up around surrounded by the region's leading exponents, including a lengthy apprenticeship with one of the world's greatest winemakers, his uncle Raul Perez, has shaped much of what Cesar values in wine. While he still manages the family estate, Cezar started his own venture in 2015, and is already one of the most exciting young prospects in Spain.

Having a deep understanding and access to some of the best vineyards Bierzo has to offer, Cezar focuses on preserving purity and freshness, highlighting the promise Mencia has in the right place when made with attention to detail. Cezar is structuring his line-up of wines in Burgundian fashion, making a broader appellation wine, a village wine, along with several single vineyard offerings. Winemaking is similar on all wines, with grapes partially destemmed and fermented in open barriques, before spending 12 months in old barrels without any racking or top ups before bottling the following winter. These are wines that are not just great examples of Bierzo Mencia, but wines that truly stand shoulder to shoulder with the finest from any region or country.

El Val is a new wine of 100% Godello from a cool, high altitude vineyard, and transcends the quality limits expected of this grape in Bierzo.

Other Reviews....
The top white 2023 El Val comes from one of the coolest places in Valtuille with vines regrafted to old-clone Godello. It has 13.09% alcohol, a pH of 3.09 and 7.98 grams of acidity, with good ripeness and very good parameters for acidity and freshness in a very complete year that is closer to 2021 than to 2022. It comes from ancient vines on clay, stone and quartzite soils and fermented in one 500-liter barrel, where the wine matured with the lees that were never stirred for 12 months. It has a stunning nose, smoky and flinty, with a lovely reduction and hints of gunpowder and toasted sesame seeds, very Burgundian à la Coche-Dury. It's very tasty, with a salty twist in the finish. Only 570 bottles were produced. It was bottled in October 2024. Drink 2025-2033.
97+ points
Luis Gutiérrez - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2023 El Val is 100% Godello from a unique white parcel in Valtuille, surrounded by reds. The aromas are reductive to start, with notes of flint and gunpowder, evolving to green apple, floral hints, praline and herbs. Expressive and compact, the palate is fresh, concentrated, and lifted, with a soft, creamy touch. Utterly delicious. Drink 2025-2038.
97 points
Joaquín Hidalgo - Vinous

The nose shows salted lemons with a restrained touch of flint. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with brilliant acidity. It’s linear and precise, with just the right amount of extract. There’s an exceptional sense of balance. Drink now.
96 points
Jacobo García Andrade - JamesSuckling.com