2014 Alvaro Palacios

Perfection in Priorat and the miracle in Bierzo

Last year, we asked if Alvaro Palacios was Spain's greatest winemaker; a year later, he has been named Decanter magazine's Man of the Year, the first Spaniard in a decade (and only the third ever). So who is this superstar of the Spanish scene, and what has he done to deserve the accolade? In a nutshell, he is the man who has put not one but two Spanish regions onto the fine wine map. First, he brought winemaking back to life on the rocky Catalan hillsides of Priorat, re-cultivating old Garnacha and Samso vines. Then, together with his nephew Ricardo Perez, he went to Bierzo in north west Spain, never hitherto an area known for fine wines. Eschewing international grape varieties, they cultivated the local Mencia and proved that with the right treatment this presumed humble grape can produce powerful, structured, perfumed wines with a long cellar life.

Ricardo describes the 2014 vintage as a 'miracle', but the real miracle is perhaps the exhausting, unrelenting pursuit of perfection of both men. In Priorat, in the L'Ermita vineyard Alvaro's team spend the weeks before harvest removing any botrytis grapes with tweezers. Both farm biodynamically, and apply such rigorous selection procedures that it seems a wonder they end up having any wine to make at all.

Critical acclaim has rolled in for the pair, and demand for these wines is high. Nevertheless, wines like the Corullon, Las Lamas and Moncerbal (from Bierzo) and Gratallops and Finca Dofi (from Priorat) offer fantastic quality for the money. /NT

Offered subject to confirmation for shipment 2016