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Alvaro Palacios & Descendientes de J Palacios
Alvaro Palacios was born into a successful Rioja producing family. Talented and immensely enthusiastic, star pupil of Jean-Claude Berrouet of Moueix and Pétrus fame, Alvaro has the sort of single-minded determination which can be labelled either as madness (as he puts it) or genius.
Rather than simply gliding into the family firm as his father had expected, Alvaro preferred to put what he had learned in Bordeaux, about the importance of terroir, into practice. Casting aside the relatively fertile ('too easy') vineyards of Rioja, he set his cap at the staggeringly beautiful, but almost impossibly difficult, terrain of Priorat, inland and south of Barcelona. And this is where the story really begins.
Descendientes de J Palacios is a joint venture by Alvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo, established in 1999 in the North-western appellation of Bierzo and named in memory of their father and grandfather respectively. It is a very special area, resembling no other wine region in Spain, with lush vegetation on dizzyingly steep slopes. The little town of Corullón, which came into existence to serve the pilgrims of Santiago di Compostela, is surrounded by many hills with varying aspects and geologies.
The Vineyards
In Priorat the vine has to struggle through strata of black slate llicorella soil simply to survive but, under Alvaro's care, they produce grapes of incredible concentration, with a classical freshness and a purity that have made them among the most sought after wines in the world. The roots of the vines progress deeply through the strata in their search for fresh water, producing tremendous purity and minerality. Impossibly steep terraces and a ridiculously meagre crop account for people seeking an easier means to earn a living. The area is dotted with abandoned vineyards but Alvaro Palacios is amongst the most focused and tenacious of beings and has forged an exciting, revitalised future for the wines of Priorat.
The situation is not dissimilar in Bierzo. Here, on vertiginous slate and quartzite slopes, Ricardo works the unique indigenous Mencia vines, with the aid of sure-footed donkeys. Alvaro and Ricardo bought up incredibly old vineyards with vines up to 90 years old. They now own 27 hectares, all farmed according to biodynamic principles. The vineyards are divided up into as much as 105 sub-plots at varying altitudes. There is a continental-Atlantic climate, with an annual rainfall of over 800mm. The Atlantic influence gives a fresh, lively character to the richness and depth of flavour.
The Winemaking
Les Terrasses goes through fermentation in stainless steel and cement vats, followed by 12 months ageing in oak barrels. Finca Dofi and Ermita are fermented in wooden oak vats with regular pigeage. Ageing takes place in new French oak barrels, 16 months for Finca Dofi and 18 months for l'Ermita.
In Bierzo, fermentation generally takes place in small wooden open vats, followed by malolactic fermentation and subsequent ageing in new French oak barrels with length of ageing dependent on the style of wine. The wines are bottled unfiltered.
The Wines
The Priorat wines manage to convey both freshness and power, minerality and richness. L'Ermita is the wine that really put Priorat on the map and established Alvaro Palacios as a world-class producer. Opulent, smoky and with great structure, it is produced in tiny quantities - in 2005 only 7 barrels were made - and sells out as soon as it is released. Finca Dofi has intense concentration and sweet dark fruits yet with that real freshness for balance. Les Terrasses offers fantastic value for money, with a similar style to the two more expensive wines, wrapped up in a lighter, easier structure that can be enjoyed from the outset.
The Bierzo wines share the same Palacios hallmarks of power and freshness with their Priorat counterparts although the cooler Atlantic influence is very prominent here. The entry level wine in the range is Petalos del Bierzo, from a blend of various vineyards sites on slopes and from the crest of hills. Early drinking, fresh and easy, this nonetheless has great intensity and structure. The next wine, named after the town of Corullón, is sourced from old vines in vineyards on the slopes around the town. This is a step up in concentration and complexity from the Petalos. The 'crus' of San Martin, Moncerbal, Las Lamas, Fontelas and La Faraona, are single vineyard sites with incredibly old vines, each offering a varying style from minute yields.
