In the D.O. Bierzo, the godello grape has traditionally reigned supreme among white varieties. Until now. A new contender has emerged to challenge its dominance: doña blanca. Previously, we had seen them combined, but never apart. Although much less cultivated, doña blanca—also native to the northwest of Spain—makes a grand entrance thanks to Andrea Mufatto and her wine, Andrea Mufatto Doña Blanca.
From start to finish, the production of Andrea Mufatto Doña Blanca posed a significant challenge. This project, spearheaded by the oenologist Andrea Mufatto, originated after meeting César Márquez, where the idea of crafting white wines in the heart of D.O. Bierzo took root. This venture was fraught with obstacles. The first was locating the vines of this variety since, unlike other grapes, doña blanca is scattered across various vineyards. For Andrea Mufatto Doña Blanca, most of them were found in Ponferrada, in an old vineyard over 30 years old. And this was merely the beginning, as once they were located, it was time to cultivate, harvest, and observe how they behaved in the winery.
After being processed and crushed, Andrea Mufatto Doña Blanca is transferred to fermentation tanks, where the yeasts will spontaneously begin to work in 228-litre barrels. Here, without any stirring or bâtonnage, Andrea Mufatto Doña Blanca will spend almost two years in contact with the lees, imparting body and character to the wine. The final result was utterly astonishing, revealing a captivating white wine. Traditionally, doña blanca had been underestimated. Until now. Doña blanca is here to stay. And it could not have had a better debut than with Andrea Mufatto Doña Blanca.