Palacios Remondo Rioja La Propiedad 2017

Rioja Oriental is blessed with a warm, dry Mediterranean-influenced climate (unlike Rioja’s west, where the climate is more continental). The soils, formed by carbonate sedimentation with diverse colluviums containing deposits of volcanic ophite, quartz, and sandstone, covered with carbonate clay, sand, and silt. At varying depths, there is a poor, cold horizon containing petrocalcic calcium (calcium carbonate) with a distinctive white color—this is prized by many for its ability to impart a mineral-driven finesse to the wine.

Rioja’s eastern-most district is often described as flatter than its western counterpart but make no mistake—there is significant elevation here. The grapes for Propiedad represent the pinnacle expressions of Palacios Remondo’s terroir and come from three estate vineyards: Las Mulgas, Valviejo and Corral Serrano Viejo.

The soils between 0.5 and 2 meters thick are from the Quaternary Period, formed by carbonate sedimentation with colluviums of very diverse origin, containing volcanic ophite, quartz, sandstone, etc. covered with carbonate clay, sand, and silt. The exposure is east/northeast on the Yerga Mountain slopes with vineyard heights reaching between 400-640 meters (1,321-2,099 feet) above sea level with a vine age of 30-94 years old. The grapes were harvested between Sept. 28th and Oct. 6th.

The grapes were destemmed, crushed, and fermented with native yeasts in wooden vats with gentle cap immersion. Maceration took place over 35 days followed by spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrel. Aging was 10 months in fudres and bocoyes (wooden cask) followed by fining but no filtration.

Propiedad is quite elegant but has remarkable concentration. Dried herbs, strawberry, blueberry, and baking spices ripple over subtle earthy notes and fine-grained tannins. The palate is seamless and beautifully balanced, sporting a mineral verve and seductive mouthfeel. Will age beautifully for a decade or longer.

Review:

The old-vine Garnacha 2017 Propiedad was produced with grapes coming from organically farmed vineyards in Las Mulgas, Valfrío, Valviejo and Corral de Serrano in Alfaro, vineyards that are organically farmed. The destemmed and crushed grapes fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts and the wine matured in larger oak vats (mostly 5,000-liter) for 12 months. It has the Mediterranean profile of the vintage with some jovial notes of orange peel and red cherries intermixed with aromatic herbs. The palate reveals fine-grained, slightly dusty tannins. The palate has more freshness than what you expect from the notes on the nose. This wine has a good evolution in bottle even in warmer years like this or 2015.

-Wine Advocate 94 Points

A super elegant and silky Rioja with delicate red fruit and milk chocolate aromas, rather than the blueberry and bitter chocolate of so many modern wines from here. Lingering, filigree finish that draws you back to the glass.

-James Suckling 94 Points

Alvaro Palacios has spent decades pioneering a new order of fine wine across Spain. He has created some of the country’s most iconic wines by championing terroir and native grapes whose potential had been long overlooked and untapped. 

Palacios Remondo is his family’s Rioja estate, tucked in the far eastern corner of the Oriental district. The story in this rugged, high-altitude scrubland is about Garnacha—the territory’s traditional variety and also one of Alvaro’s biggest passions. By focusing on Garnacha-driven wines that are expressive of and authentic to this stunning side of Rioja, Alvaro is continuing to reshape the future of Spanish fine wine.

Palacios Remondo was founded in 1947 by the Palacios family in the heart of Rioja, Spain. But the family were no strangers to winemaking—in fact, they’d been producing wine in the region since the late 1800s and had built for themselves a distinguished reputation. But the ’80s brought about changes, and the family decided it was time to focus exclusively on their own, estate-grown wines.

In 2000, fourth-generation Alvaro Palacios took the helm and under his skilled stewardship, the estate has lowered yields, returned to traditional vineyard practices, and focused on organic viticulture. Today, the family remains more committed than ever to crafting beautiful wines that reflect the unique terroir of Rioja’s stunning east.

Rioja Oriental is often described as flatter than the region’s west but make no mistake—there is significant elevation here. Palacios Remondo’s estate vineyards are planted in the foothills of Mount Yerga, at altitudes of 500-650 meters (1,640-2,133 feet) above sea level. The area was first settled and planted by Cistercian monks, which gives the land a “mystic” quality—a key component in what drives Álvaro’s focus on a place.

Some call him a “rebel” or an “iconoclast,” thanks to his maverick approach in breathing new life and prestige into underappreciated regions. He’s also known for his warmth and humility. But at his core, Alvaro Palacios is simply trying to express the unique beauty of Spain’s varied terroir and grapes—and his instincts for scouting out vineyards with sky-high quality potential are unrivaled.

Alvaro was born in 1964—one of nine children. Inspired by his family’s winemaking roots, he left home to attend Bordeaux University where he studied oenology. During a brief stint working for the Moueix family, Alvaro developed a deep appreciation for what he calls “wine beyond the senses.” His objective thereafter became looking for vineyards in places with mystical origins and old vines. After helping to put Priorat (and later, Bierzo) on the fine wine map, Alvaro turned his eyes to his family’s estate. He was convinced that Rioja Oriental was far better suited for Garnacha, the region’s historical variety, than it was for the more commercially viable Tempranillo. Judging from the cascade of critical acclaim and international renown of Palacios Remondo’s Garnacha-based wines, Alvaro’s vision for the future of his family’s estate is coming to fruition.