Maruxa Godello 2025
A bright, citrusy Spanish white with a surprisingly rich texture.
Wine lists and trends are ever-changing; we know this. But recently, I’ve seen a few styles of wine creeping up on more than their fair share of wine lists across London. Yes, chillable reds are having a real boost as of late, but I’ve noticed that more and more Spanish wines are finding their way onto wine lists — especially a Spanish white wine called Godello.
You don’t have to convince me to crack open a bottle of, well, basically any type of Spanish wine. I’ll tell whoever will listen that Spain has some of the best wine out there (though having been brought up on big Spanish reds, I guess maybe I’m a bit biased). And I’m patiently waiting for the day that people finally give Spanish wine its flowers — any day now, I’m sure.
I’m more than familiar with the classics — Rioja, Albariño, Ribera del Duero, plus the iconic sherries — but a fairly recent new favourite has been Godello.
What is Godello?
Godello is a white grape native to northwest Spain, particularly associated with Galicia. It’s often compared to Albariño, another Galician wine that you’re much more likely to spot at your local supermarket. But I find Godello can bring a little more weight and texture to the glass. If you like a white wine on the heavier side and a slightly buttery texture, Godello could be one to look out for.
The Maruxa Godello 2025 from Virgen del Galir is a good example of that balance. It has all the bright citrus and acidity you want from a refreshing Spanish white, but there’s something considerably more rounded and soft about it too.
Maruxa Godello 2025 Tasting Notes
In the glass, it’s a pale lemon colour. The nose is medium in intensity, with lime and citrus alongside grassy, hay-like notes. There’s also a slightly buttery quality and a faintly charred note, which gives the wine a little more depth than the bright citrus initially suggests.
On the palate, the citrus arrives immediately. Lemon leads the way, followed by green apple and those same grassy notes. There’s a buttery quality here too, giving the wine a lovely weight without making it feel too heavy.
It’s dry and high in acidity, but the acidity softens just as quickly as it arrives. That combination of freshness and texture is what really stood out to me. It’s bright and refreshing, but it doesn’t feel thin or lightweight.
That buttery texture is particularly interesting because it doesn’t come from oak. Instead, it spends three months ageing on its lees — essentially the natural sediment left behind by the yeast after fermentation. This can give a wine a softer, creamier texture and a little more weight, which is exactly what you get here, without losing the fresh citrus and acidity.
And almost immediately, I knew what I wanted to eat with it: garlic prawns, lots of buttery sauce and a massive basket of warm bread for mopping it all up.
That, for me, is where this Godello really works. It has the freshness and acidity to cut through something rich and buttery, but enough weight and texture to stand up to it too.
If Godello keeps appearing on London wine lists at this rate, I’m certainly not going to complain, and neither should you.
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