Tasting Notes

This is such a tight and beautiful red with dark berry, stone and limestone character. Medium body, focused and refined. Linear and very long finish. A standard bearer for the region.

A blend of many different vineyards planted with field blends, where the breakdown might come to some 5% white varieties (Valenciana/Doña Blanca, Godello and Palomino/Jerez) and around 1% other reds (Pan y Carne, Negrada and Gran Negro), all from vines ranging between 40 and 90 years of age on slopes (half of the grapes around the village of Corullón and the remainder in the rest of Bierzo). It’s a showy, approachable, aromatic and open version of Pétalos, and as I tasted it later on in the season, it felt more polished and round, with a lush texture. It’s extremely aromatic, in a way similar to the 2012. This is always one of the best values not only of Bierzo but for the whole of Spain. 310,000 bottles and 2,000 magnums produced.

Robert Parker 93 Points

James Suckling 93 Points

About  Decendientes De J. Palacios

During the late 1980’s, Alvaro Palacios travelled his native Spain selling French barriques to winemakers. But his journeys had a second purpose: to find the best place to achieve his goal of making Spain’s greatest wine. He ultimately decided, in 1990, on Priorato, where he would achieve worldwide fame with “L’Ermita” and “Finca Dofi.” But there had been a close contender: Bierzo. It had all the ingredients that Alvaro wanted – incredibly steep hillside vineyards, distinctive terroirs and, most importantly, ancient vineyards of Mencia – a unique red grape believed brought by French pilgrims during the Middle Ages.

In Pursuit of the Dream. The idea of making great wine from old-vine Mencía never left Alvaro, and his experience in Priorato – particularly with L’Ermita – convinced him of Bierzo’s enormous potential. Meanwhile, his nephew Ricardo Perez had finished enological studies in Bordeaux and was travelling across France – absorbing everything he could about great wines. He worked the harvest at Chateau Margaux, and did internships at other Bordelais firms like Moueix (Pétrus, Trotanoy, etc.). He also visited Alvaro frequently and came to share a belief in Bierzo’s potential. In 1998, the two decided on a joint venture and set out in search of the region’s finest old vineyards.