Ladeiras do Xil Gaba do Xil Blanco 2018
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Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Fresh and lively, this yellow-hued white wine delivers a granitic punch on the nose. Sensations of bay leaf, white peach, and crystallized ginger dance on the palate with a salty, thirst-quenching finish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Gaba do Xil Godello comes from a very difficult year in Galicia when mildew decimated many vineyards. When tasted a few months after bottling, it was very balsamic with notes of bay leaf and something medicinal, quite aromatic, powerful and a little reductive at first (perhaps the recent bottling). The palate was round and soft, approachable, with pungent flavors and a clean, dry finish, with ripeness somewhere between that of the 2016 and 2018. Rating: 90+
Other Vintages
2019-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker - Decanter
The vineyards of Ladeiras do Xil lie in the eastern part of this region near the village of Santa Cruz and monastery of Las Ermitas. This valley is among the most important and exciting areas for the potential of world-class viticulture in all of Galicia, as it lies in the southern part of Valdeorras, on the border of the Bibei subzone of Ribeira Sacra. This region is exceptionally rural and biologically diverse, where ancient vineyards developed by monasteries exist in harmony with dense forest and animal life. As a rule, Ladeiras do Xil uses only indigenous grape varieties which are bush trained and follow the natural contours of the land, mindful of the history of the vineyards and ecology of the surrounding area. Vineyards have existed in this valley since the Roman era, being further refined and perfected by members of the Cistercian monasteries, for which the area is famous. The soils here are shallow, acidic, and coarse-textured due to varying proportions of decomposed granite with naturally low fertility.
The pioneering duo of Pablo Eguzkiza and Telmo Rodríguez started working here in 2002. Recognizing the potential to make world-class wines in this incredibly important valley, they began a project that would take more than a decade to come to fruition. The philosophy of their company has always been vineyard first, winery second. The most important piece of the puzzle is the vineyard, and we are now just beginning to see the unfolding of the grandeur of their vision. They have been quietly conducting heroic work in the face of incredible obstacles, as the climate in Galicia is unforgiving.
Since 2014, the project has been led by the young vigneron Jorge Saa. He and his team have been quietly working, restoring the centuries-old terraces and replanting indigenous varieties as they were in the past: a diverse field blend, near the ancient village of Santa Cruz. Co-planting is essential in this region, and they are cultivating a number of varieties including Merenzao, Sousón, Mencía, Godello, Treixadura, Godello Tinto, Brancellao, Doña Blanca, Garnacha, and Palomino.