Looking for a white wine amongst the bottles I had lying around, I realized I had this 2006 Godello from Spain’s Valdeorras region, put down and forgotten for a few years. Valdeorras is a denominación de origen (DO) from Galicia, in the country’s coastal, northwest region, and wines made of Godello tend to have the big stone and tree fruit of their more famous coastal compatriot Albariño, but with an greater level of acidity.

I realized I had no idea what to expect in terms of flavor, never having tasted a Godello with much age. The original wine club notes read: “The wine almost crackles with zippy acidity and chalky minerality—it reminds me of the sensation you get after crunching a vitamin C chewable. The scent makes me think of seaside dining, too—the lemon squeezed over your oysters.” Would it taste like this 3 or 4 years later? Would it even be any good? Considering its high acidity, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

Pouring it into my glass, I fell in love with its rich, golden color. Swirling, the aromas were as big as the color—dense, ripe peach, bright lemon, the heady scent of dried apricots, and a little hint of petrol, almost like a Riesling, notes of pointing toward the age of the wine, now laying 6 years in the bottle. Tasting it, I was impressed by its sharp acidity, which still cut through a rich, almost oily palate, reminiscent of peach pie and apricots. Letting it sit in my mouth, I began to notice a flavor that reminded me of fruity, Arbequina olive oil, then its bright minerality, and finally that hint of salt on the finish, reminding me of its origins. Will I lay down another Godello, intentionally this time, and repeat the experiment of aging? Absolutely.

4.5 out of 5 stars.