Winemaker Notes
The wine is named for the river Sil that flows through the region (Xil is its ancient name, used by the Celtic people who once inhabited the area). Many of the river’s tributaries are flanked on either side by vineyards, planted in terraces on steep slate hillsides.
The label displays a dozen bridges, symbolizing the idea of crossing from one vineyard plot to another.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
he entry level white 2016 Gaba Do Xil is old vine Godello from a challenging year with lots of mildew in May followed by warm temperatures in July and September that resulted in a late harvest but somehow delivered very good grapes. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and was bottled unoaked. This is very obviously young, subtle and elegant. But it's the palate that points you in the direction it's going to go with time in bottle: clean minerality, with the upfront granite sensation, a texture rather than a flavor. Impressive for the price and volume, even though 2016 was a short vintage; it could very well be the finest white Gaba do Xil to date. It ends with an almost salty twang. 83,760 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2017.
Godello is native to northwest Spain and has experienced a major revival in the last 20 years. Godello wines are typically sleek and lightly creamy in texture. Barrel fermentation and lees stirring are typical in Valdeorras, Spain where the grape comes from. These winemaking techniques make the most of Godello's inherent structure and help bring out its lovely floral character. Somm Secret—DNA profiling says that Spain’s Godello is actually identical to the Portugese grape variety Gouveio, which grows throughout the Douro and Dão (where it used to mistakenly be called Verdelho).
Just to the south of Bierzo, the steeply terraced Valdeorras Spanish wine region is a respected source of both red and white wines. Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet) and Mencía are the principal red varieties while Godello and Palomino compose the majority of this region's whites.