It’s the Summer of Dry Spanish Whites, and Godello Is the Star

Native to northwestern Spain’s Iberian peninsula, Godello is a dry white wine that evokes sunny Galician hillsides.

“Godello makes me think of quiet complexity, sea breeze minerality and the kind of white wine that reveals itself in layers, not all at once,” says Jason Hedges, director of beverage for LT Hospitality, which includes restaurants in New York, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Hedges has poured Godello by the glass at his eateries for the past four years, but he’s noticed a distinct uptick in guest interest for the wine produced from its eponymous grape—and he’s not alone.

“I keep getting asked for this grape,” says Emily Carr, vice president of sales for Massachusetts-based Arborway Imports. She traces her love affair with Godello back to 2022, when she began representing a portfolio of Spanish wines and noticed a niche following for it. “It is fruit-forward but texturally interesting, unlike some other whites that have been front and center for years,” says Carr.

Thomas Kakalios, lead sommelier of Asador Bastian in Chicago, agrees. He describes Godello as “a mineral-driven and structured white wine that has all the hallmarks of a noble Old World grape variety.”

Produced in both oaked and unoaked styles, Godello can vary from light, bright and citrus-forward to medium-bodied with lush stone fruit notes. Its Galician freshness, though, is always definitive—and another example of a major trend underfoot.

The Rise of Spanish White Wines

Over the past decade, one of the most consistent trends among American wine drinkers is the demand for lesser-known varieties.

“Adventurous drinkers and sommeliers are seeking freshness and complexity beyond the usual suspects,” says Kara Daving, lead sommelier at The Bazaar by José Andrés at the Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad. For a while, Albariño sated this thirst, she says, but now it’s not uncommon to find this white wine from Rías Baixas on menus.

“Albariño introduced a lot of U.S. consumers to the joys of Spanish white wines,” says Keith Goldston, master sommelier for The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston. Due to its success, along with the other more ubiquitous Spanish variety of Verdejo, wine drinkers are looking to dive further into Spain’s white wine offerings.

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But while Albariño may have opened the door for Spanish white wines in general, Chris Schneider, wine director and sommelier of Francie in Brooklyn, feels that Godello has exceptional star power and may one day outshine it. “The top examples [of Godello] are more compelling and age-worthy,” he says.

There’s also the matter of seasonality: Albariño is often categorized as a summertime wine, but Godello offers a bit more versatility. Katie Thompson, sommelier and beverage manager at Spruce Peak’s Tipsy Trout in Stowe, Vermont, suggests that “the increased structure and body of Godello” won’t peg it to a single season, permitting a greater range of consumption and more time for it to catch on.

Jose Rodriguez Guntiñas, owner of Adega Tabian, places godello grapes in a basket during unloading at the winery / Photo By Carlos Castro/Europa Press via Getty Images

A White Burgundy Dupe?

The easiest way to entice a guest into ordering a wine they haven’t tried before is to compare it to a more prominent variety. For Godello, that happens to be Chardonnay. More specifically, “its balance of acidity, texture and fruit places it squarely in the wheelhouse of white Burgundy,” says Daving.

At a fraction of the price, Godello mimics certain flavor profiles of white Burgundy—like the notes of yellow apple, citrus and stone fruit, as well as the flinty finish. Additionally, both styles can run the gamut from “extremely crushable” (unoaked) to more serious age-worthy versions, says Grace Bradley, wine director at Petite Vie in Western Springs, Illinois.

But while comparisons are meant to be helpful to new palates, they can sometimes deter people. That’s why some sommeliers are creative when describing Godello, to ensure the wine’s unique identity is clear. “I tell guests it’s like Chablis disappeared for a summer and came back with much better playlists and a way more interesting personality,” says Drew Brady, wine director of Soda Club in New York City.

Primarily grown in Spain’s coastal region of Galicia, Godello presents a distinctive brininess. In comparison to Burgundy-based Chardonnays’ “limestone minerality,” the wine offers “a saline-based mineral spice,” says Thompson.

Seafood’s Best Friend

“What grows together goes together” is a common adage in the world of wine pairings, so it only makes sense that Godello’s saline qualities are especially appreciated at coastal-inspired restaurants.

In Elk, California, The Harbor House Inn’s menu predominantly relies on the ocean. Wine director Jason Chin says that mineral, fresh and bright coastal wines like Godello are “very important” for complementing the restaurant’s seafood dishes, especially shellfish paella

“The texture and salty qualities from the wine with the spices and citrus of the paella is a winner,” says Chin. Grilled octopus, tinned fish and gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) make excellent counterparts as well.

The wine also works the richer, creamier dishes. Andrew Adamson, director of restaurants for Long Island’s Lush Life Hospitality Group, enjoys pairing Godello with 2 Spring’s seared sea scallops. “The wine’s acidity lifts the richness of the dish, and its mineral undertones tie in beautifully with the seafood,” he says.

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Aside from its coastal connections, Godello also plays well with roast chicken, says Adamson, and even summer vegetables. “I love pairing Godello with a succotash of zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes and corn,” adds David Danforth, sommelier at La Padrona in Boston.

When all else fails, Brady of Soda Club reminds us that pairings don’t need to be so serious. “Godello loves salt and crunch,” he says, whether that’s “salt-and-vinegar chips and a lawn chair” or a slice of crispy bread smothered in tomatoes—the Spanish way.

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