Valdeorras, the Land of Godello
Mountain wines grown on slate, along the banks of the River Sil. The cradle of Godello and of the native grape varieties of Galicia.
Discover our winesWhat is Valdeorras?
In the far east of the province of Ourense, where Galicia begins to rise into mountains, a valley crossed by the River Sil preserves one of the oldest winemaking traditions in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula.
Valdeorras — from the Latin Vallis Aurariae, the “valley of gold” — takes its name from the gold workings the Romans opened here two thousand years ago. The same slate that once hid the gold now defines the character of its wines. The Valdeorras Denomination of Origin, officially recognised in 1957, is one of the five wine D.O.s of Galicia and covers the municipalities of O Barco, A Rúa, Vilamartín, Petín, Rubiá, Larouco, O Bolo and Carballeda de Valdeorras.
This is a land of heroic viticulture: vines planted on steep slopes, on terraces held up by stone walls, where almost all the work is done by hand. A landscape shaped over centuries by the hands of farmers, today largely recovered after the abandonment brought by phylloxera and the rural exodus of the 20th century.
The Sil Valley
Valdeorras sits in a depression opened up by the River Sil and its tributaries, at an average altitude of between 300 and 700 metres. This relief creates a singular microclimate: the Atlantic influence arriving from the west is tempered by continental and Mediterranean traits, with warm, dry summers and cold winters.
That combination — sunny days to ripen the grapes and cool nights that preserve acidity — is exactly what Godello needs to express its fruit and freshness without losing balance. It is why Valdeorras has become a world reference for age-worthy Galician white wine.
Godello, the white jewel of Valdeorras
If one grape has put Valdeorras on the world wine map, it is Godello. A white grape native to Galicia, it was on the verge of disappearing in the 1970s, when barely a few hectares remained planted. A group of Valdeorras winegrowers led its recovery, and today it is one of the most sought-after white wines in Spain.
What does Godello taste like?
Godello gives wines of golden-yellow colour with greenish glints, aromas of ripe fruit — apple, pear, quince —, floral notes and a mineral undertone that recalls the slate on which it grows. On the palate it is broad, glyceric and full-bodied, with an elegant acidity that makes it ideal both to drink young and to age on its lees or in barrel.
Our Godello sobre Lías is born on the slopes of Sampaio and Seadur, with controlled yields to concentrate the full expression of the variety.
The red varieties of the region
Valdeorras is a land of Godello, but also of great mountain reds made from native grapes.
Mencía
The Mencía is the great red grape of the north-west of the Peninsula. On the slopes of Valdeorras it yields wines of intense purple colour, fruity and floral aromas and an elegant balance between fruit, alcohol and acidity. Our barrel-aged Mencía adds to that fruit the complexity of ageing in oak.
Garnacha Tintorera
The Garnacha Tintorera (also known as Alicante Bouschet) is a rarity in Galicia: a red-fleshed grape that gives wines of deep colour, great fruity intensity and plenty of body. Our Garnacha Tintorera won the Arribe de Ouro at the international VinDuero-VinDouro competition, the only red from Valdeorras to achieve it.
Slate, granite and altitude
The character of Valdeorras wines is born in the soil. Three types of terrain share the region, and each leaves its own mark:
- Slate: the schist and slate soils of the slopes, dry and poor, force the vine to work hard. From them come the most mineral, most age-worthy Godellos.
- Granite: brings freshness and floral aromas, with lighter, more direct wines.
- Alluvial terraces: on the valley floor, beside the Sil, more fertile soils for fresh, fruity wines.
Combined with the altitude and the steep gradients, the result is a demanding mountain viticulture capable of producing wines with a sense of place impossible to replicate anywhere else.
The wine areas of Valdeorras
Our vines are spread across some of the finest slopes in the region.
Sampaio y Seadur
Slate slopes where our Godellos are born. Dry soils and low yields for maximum concentration.
Vilamartín
In the heart of the D.O., on the banks of the Sil. Historic vineyards of native varieties.
A Rúa y Petín
Next to the winery, in Spain's emptied hinterland. Plots recovered from abandonment since 2014.
Wine, Roman gold and the Camino de Invierno
The history of Galicia runs through Valdeorras. The ancient Roman Vía Nova crossed these lands on the way to the mines of Las Médulas — 30 km away, the largest open-cast gold mine of the Roman Empire and a World Heritage Site. It was the Romans who spread the cultivation of the vine through the valley.
Centuries later, the Camino de Invierno to Santiago runs through here, the route pilgrims followed to avoid the snows of O Cebreiro. To make wine in Valdeorras is, still today, to care for that historic landscape.
From Bodegas Sampayolo, in Petín, we have been recovering since 2014 vineyards of native varieties that phylloxera and the rural exodus almost erased forever.
Our wines from Valdeorras
Made from grapes grown on these slopes. Buy direct from the producer with free shipping within Spain.
About Valdeorras and Godello
What is the Valdeorras Denomination of Origin?
It is one of the five wine D.O.s of Galicia, recognised in 1957, located in the east of the province of Ourense on the banks of the River Sil. It brings together the municipalities of O Barco, A Rúa, Vilamartín, Petín, Rubiá, Larouco, O Bolo and Carballeda de Valdeorras, and is renowned above all for its white wines made from the Godello grape.
Which grape is typical of Valdeorras?
The emblematic variety of Valdeorras is Godello, a white grape native to Galicia recovered from near-extinction in the 1970s. Among the reds, Mencía stands out and, to a lesser extent, Garnacha Tintorera.
What does Godello wine taste like?
Godello from Valdeorras is a white of golden-yellow colour with greenish highlights, with aromas of ripe fruit (apple, pear), floral notes and a mineral undertone. On the palate it is broad, full-bodied and with a fresh, balanced acidity. It pairs very well with fish, seafood and cheeses.
What is the difference between Godello and Albariño?
Both are Galician whites, but Albariño (typical of Rías Baixas) tends to be lighter, more aromatic and more citrusy, while Godello from Valdeorras has more body, unctuousness and ageing potential. We explain it in detail in our article Godello vs Albariño.
Why are Valdeorras wines special?
Because of their terroir: slate and granite soils on steep slopes, a climate that combines Atlantic, continental and Mediterranean influences, and a heroic mountain viticulture carried out largely by hand. Together this gives wines with a sense of place that is hard to replicate.
Where can I buy Valdeorras wine online?
You can buy our Valdeorras wines direct from the producer in the Bodegas Sampayolo online shop, with free shipping throughout Spain. We make Godello, Mencía and Garnacha at our winery in Petín, in the heart of the D.O.
Bring Valdeorras to your table
Godello, Mencía and Garnacha from recovered mountain plots. Buy direct from the producer, free shipping within Spain.
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