MOB Gauvé Branco 2019/2021

MOB Gauvé 2019 is a white of great personality, the result of the skill of these three renowned Douro winemakers who decided to explore the Dão terroir. With a blend of 60% Encruzado and 40% Bical, it's young and enigmatic on the nose, with notes of minerals, light smoke, moss and an elegant citrus touch.

On the palate, freshness and tension dominate, reaffirming the mineral profile, with subtle vegetal ‘nuances’ that don't overpower its creaminess. The structure shows vibrant tannins and firm acidity, ensuring excellent potential to develop in bottle. An extraordinary white combining complexity and refinement, promising to unfold even more with time.

The Wine Advocate
RP 95

Review by: Luis Gutiérrez

The Gauvé Branco 2021 was made from grapes from a century-old plot in Gouveia. It has 13% alcohol, a pH of 3.22 and 6.06 g/L acidity. This wine isn't made every year, only in years considered exceptional — so far 2015, 2019 and 2021.

Fermentation took place in wooden vats and stainless steel, with low extraction and low temperatures. It aged in used 500-litre French oak barrels.

At this stage it's extremely young, closed and austere, with a mineral, very balanced profile. It's vibrant and fresh, showing huge potential to develop in bottle. 2,500 bottles were produced. The wine was bottled in June 2023.

Some older vintages were also tasted, in this case 2019 and 2015, which are all the vintages of this wine bottled so far. Both aged for two years in used 500-litre barrels and have 13.5% alcohol. The 2019 has a lower pH, while the 2015 shows higher acidity.

The 2015 is slightly more oxidative and a little heavier, while the 2019 is very complete and perfect for drinking now. Even so, I believe that in the long run the 2021 will be the finest and most distinctive.

M.O.B. stands for Moreira, Olazábal and Borges: Jorge Moreira of Poeira; Francisco “Xito” Olazábal of Quinta do Vale Meão; and Jorge Borges of Pintas, all linked to Douro projects. They're long-time friends who decided to start a joint project to make wine in a different region: the Dão.

They started the project in 2011, almost 15 years ago. They rented Quinta do Corujão, an estate with 11 hectares of vines in Seia, which they bought five years later. They also rented other very old vineyards in Gouveia, at 600 metres. They now produce about 100,000 bottles.

The 2022 and 2023 vintages were quite hot, though the vines suffered more in 2023. 2021 was an extremely balanced, fresh year, and 2024 follows the same trend. M.O.B. usually picks late, about 15 days after most producers, because its vineyards are in cooler areas.

Published: 22 January 2026