2020 was a warm year with an early harvest and isolated frost the night of March 27th that resulted in a ripe 2020 Gaba do Xil Branco. Mostly Godello from red clay and slate soils, it fermented with indigenous yeasts and was kept with the lees for some four months. It was harvested 20 days earlier than the 2018 to avoid over-ripeness of the grapes, because Godello can get too heavy when too ripe. They managed to keep the freshness and the varietal character here, with subtle aromas of herbs and white fruit. The palate is medium-bodied, with a velvety mouthfeel. 118,560 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2021.

The white 2019 Gaba do Xil Branco was produced with Godello and some other white grapes from a number of vineyards located between 400 and 500 meters in altitude on red clay and slate soils. This fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats, where it matured with the lees for four months. These whites show very reductive when young and only start showing well one year after bottling, so at this early stage, you need to guide yourself by the palate rather than the nose. The palate is super granitic, with that chalky dryness and the tasty finish that is almost salty. This year, it's more granite-like than Godello. 2019 is going to be a very good vintage for whites. 143,820 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2020.

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. 96,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2018.

There was a terrible frost in 2017; they lost 85% of the crop and had to do two harvests for the 2017 Gaba Do Xil Godello, one for the original grapes and the second some 18 days later for the second flowering, so they did two fermentations and a blend of the two. It's a little reduced, so decanting it in advance might not be a bad idea. It's been in bottle for almost one year, and they released it quite soon because the last few vintages have been very short, so perhaps the wines are released a little too soon. The wine feels quite young and undeveloped, with some bay leaf aromas and a subtle palate with focused and persistent flavors. 49,800 bottles produced.

The 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.