Telmo Rodriguez - Gaba Do Xil Mencia 2014 | Monsieur Touton Selection

Wine

This bright, stylish red hails from Valdeorras ("Valley of Gold") in eastern Galicia, a region once famous for gold-mining and now best known for its unique and complex wines made from the indigenous Godello and Mencia grapes. 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). The river’s tributaries are flanked 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.

Tasting note

Soft, supple and silky on the palate, Telmo's Gaba do Xil Mencia is highly fragrant and floral, with dried herbs and violets, as well as a trademark Mencia smoky meatiness.

Estate

Telmo Rodriguez is one of Spain's pioneer winemakers, advocating native grape varietals tied to the climates and conditions of their sites, and making world-class wine from undiscovered as well as known regions. Perhaps most impressive, while Telmo Rodriguez makes rare and limited wines of astonishing character and quality, and widely recognized for the tremendous value they offer.

Vinification

Gaba do Xil Mencia is vinified in 100% stainless steel tanks and sees no contact with oak.

Vineyard

Gaba do Xil Mencia is produced partially from grapes that are estate-grown and partially sourced from long-term suppliers. They come from 4 plots (A Torgueira, As Caborcas, O Pando, A Pedreira) located in the valleys of the Rio Bibei, a tributary of the Sil. This area was abandoned more than 200 years ago after the phylloxera epidemic devastated most of Europe’s vineyards. Dotted with chestnut trees mixed with rockrose, the old granitic terraces barely have enough space to squeeze in the odd row of vines, following the folds of the mountains that plunge into the river. The vines grow in shallow, stony granite soils on terraces facing south, west and northwest.

Spain Galicia Valdeorras