Descendientes de J. Palacios

The heritage of a family of wine specialists

Descendants of J. Palacios arrived in Bierzo in 1999 with the hope of extolling the wine-growing charms of a region of absolute historical-religious origin. After the important Roman domination (gold mines of Las Médulas), El Bierzo became an obligatory rest stop on the hard pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, which was so attractive to European Christianity from the 11th century onwards, and to which kings, princes and saints flocked. It was during its greatest splendour, from the 12th century onwards, that a true ecclesiastical settlement developed in the region, giving rise to the coexistence of innumerable religious orders. It would be these monks from Northern Europe who would develop this special viticulture which, with the symbiosis of wisdom, precision and time, has remained unchanged to the present day, offering us the singularity of a unique red grape, the mencía, and an incomparable wine-growing heritage due to its roots and personality.

Located in the attractive village of Corullón, Álvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo Pérez Palacios cultivate 30 hectares of very old vines on their own property, following the discipline of biodynamics in search of definition and purity. These vineyards are spread over some sixty small plots with very different exposures and on different altitude scales, due to the orography composed of steep slopes with accentuated gradients. The origin of the soil formation belongs to the Lower Cambrian period, characterised by a structure of pure laminar and thick slate rock, very mineral, with quartzites, sandstones and clays, combining a horizontal and oblique disposition with respect to the soil, an aspect that accentuates the character of the terroir. The continental climate of Atlantic influence and the rainfall of more than 600 mm per year of this green and mountainous region, reflects the freshness and fragrance in its wines of important depth, volume and that lively and juicy sensation of cherry pulp within a silky and friendly texture and character.