Ladeiras Gaba Do Xil O Barreiro Godello 2024

Ladeiras do Xil is the Valdeorras project of acclaimed Spanish winemaker Telmo Rodríguez and his longtime partner Pablo Eguzkiza, whose work has helped revive historic vineyards and native grape varieties across Spain. Established in 2002, the estate focuses on steep hillside vineyards in Galicia that had largely been abandoned, demonstrating the remarkable potential of godello and mencía grown on the region's slate rich slopes. Today, Ladeiras do Xil is considered one of the leading producers in Valdeorras, combining traditional farming with thoughtful, low intervention winemaking.

The vineyards are farmed using traditional methods with a strong emphasis on preserving old vines and the surrounding landscape. Grapes are harvested entirely by hand in small boxes and carefully sorted before pressing. Fermentations rely on native yeasts, and cellar work is intentionally restrained to showcase the purity of the fruit and the distinctive clay and slate soils that define the region.

Gaba do Xil O Barreiro 2024 is made almost entirely from godello grown in the estate's O Barreiro vineyard near the village of Larouco, where many vines are around 50 years old. Since 2021, this bottling has come exclusively from estate owned fruit, making it a true single vineyard wine. It is fermented in stainless steel with native yeasts and aged for four months on its fine lees without bâtonnage or malolactic fermentation. The wine is bottled unfiltered, preserving its freshness, texture, and mineral precision.

The 2024 vintage is vibrant and beautifully balanced, offering aromas of pear, white peach, citrus, white flowers, fennel, and wet stone. The palate combines crisp acidity with a subtle creaminess from lees aging, finishing with a pronounced saline and slate driven minerality. Elegant rather than powerful, it pairs beautifully with shellfish, grilled fish, roast chicken, creamy risotto, and fresh goat cheeses.