Descendientes de J. Palacios
Summary
Descendientes de J. Palacios, established in 1999 by Alvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo Pérez Palacios, cultivates 30 hectares of old-vine Mencía vineyards on steep, slate-dominated slopes surrounding Corullón in Spain's Bierzo region. Their biodynamic farming practices and minimal intervention winemaking, featuring native yeast fermentations and gentle extraction techniques, have transformed Bierzo's ancient viticultural landscape while establishing new benchmarks for terroir-driven Spanish wines through their hierarchical portfolio ranging from regional Pétalos to the rare single-vineyard La Faraona.
Heritage & Leadership
Descendientes de J. Palacios was established in 1999 in the Bierzo region of northwestern Spain by Alvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo Pérez Palacios. The project represents a familial extension of the Palacios winemaking legacy, named in honor of Alvaro's father, José Palacios. Alvaro had already established himself in Priorat with his own eponymous winery, while Ricardo, who studied enology in Bordeaux, brought fresh technical expertise to the partnership.
The duo selected Bierzo specifically for its old-vine Mencía plantings and distinctive slate soils, recognizing parallels to the terroir that had drawn Alvaro to Priorat years earlier. Their arrival in Bierzo coincided with a period of rediscovery for this historic winegrowing region, which had remained relatively overlooked despite its Roman-era viticultural heritage. Since founding, Ricardo has managed daily operations while Alvaro contributes his experience during critical decision-making periods throughout the growing and production seasons.
## Vineyards & Wines
Descendientes de J. Palacios focuses its efforts on vineyards surrounding the village of Corullón, where they work with approximately 30 hectares of land divided among numerous small parcels. These vineyards sit at elevations ranging from 450 to 900 meters above sea level on steep slopes composed primarily of schist and slate soils. The estate's holdings include several distinguished vineyard sites including Las Lamas, Moncerbal, and La Faraona, each with distinct exposures and soil compositions that produce markedly different expressions of Mencía.
The vineyards feature predominantly old-vine Mencía, with many parcels exceeding 50-90 years in age. The estate produces a hierarchy of wines, beginning with their regional Bierzo "Pétalos," followed by the village-level "Corullón," and culminating in their single-vineyard bottlings. La Faraona, sourced from a tiny 0.55-hectare plot at nearly 900 meters elevation, represents their most limited production. The extreme slopes necessitate manual viticulture, with all harvesting performed by hand into small crates to preserve fruit integrity.
## Philosophy & Practice
The winemaking approach at Descendientes de J. Palacios centers on minimal intervention to express the distinctive character of Bierzo's terroir. The estate employs biodynamic farming methods across their vineyards, though specific certification details are not widely published. Vineyard work follows lunar cycles and includes the application of natural preparations to stimulate soil health and vine resilience.
In the winery, fermentations occur with native yeasts in a combination of wooden vats and concrete tanks, depending on the wine and vintage conditions. Aging takes place primarily in French oak barrels of varying sizes, with new oak percentages kept deliberately low to preserve the mineral character of the wines. The single-vineyard bottlings typically spend 12-18 months in barrel before bottling without filtration. Throughout the production process, the focus remains on gentle extraction to capture the aromatic complexity and structural finesse that distinguishes Mencía from Bierzo's slate-dominated soils.
Vineyards & Wines
Descendientes de J. Palacios focuses its efforts on vineyards surrounding the village of Corullón, where they work with approximately 30 hectares of land divided among numerous small parcels. These vineyards sit at elevations ranging from 450 to 900 meters above sea level on steep slopes composed primarily of schist and slate soils. The estate's holdings include several distinguished vineyard sites including Las Lamas, Moncerbal, and La Faraona, each with distinct exposures and soil compositions that produce markedly different expressions of Mencía.
The vineyards feature predominantly old-vine Mencía, with many parcels exceeding 50-90 years in age. The estate produces a hierarchy of wines, beginning with their regional Bierzo "Pétalos," followed by the village-level "Corullón," and culminating in their single-vineyard bottlings. La Faraona, sourced from a tiny 0.55-hectare plot at nearly 900 meters elevation, represents their most limited production. The extreme slopes necessitate manual viticulture, with all harvesting performed by hand into small crates to preserve fruit integrity.
## Philosophy & Practice
The winemaking approach at Descendientes de J. Palacios centers on minimal intervention to express the distinctive character of Bierzo's terroir. The estate employs biodynamic farming methods across their vineyards, though specific certification details are not widely published. Vineyard work follows lunar cycles and includes the application of natural preparations to stimulate soil health and vine resilience.
In the winery, fermentations occur with native yeasts in a combination of wooden vats and concrete tanks, depending on the wine and vintage conditions. Aging takes place primarily in French oak barrels of varying sizes, with new oak percentages kept deliberately low to preserve the mineral character of the wines. The single-vineyard bottlings typically spend 12-18 months in barrel before bottling without filtration. Throughout the production process, the focus remains on gentle extraction to capture the aromatic complexity and structural finesse that distinguishes Mencía from Bierzo's slate-dominated soils.
Philosophy & Practice
The winemaking approach at Descendientes de J. Palacios centers on minimal intervention to express the distinctive character of Bierzo's terroir. The estate employs biodynamic farming methods across their vineyards, though specific certification details are not widely published. Vineyard work follows lunar cycles and includes the application of natural preparations to stimulate soil health and vine resilience.
In the winery, fermentations occur with native yeasts in a combination of wooden vats and concrete tanks, depending on the wine and vintage conditions. Aging takes place primarily in French oak barrels of varying sizes, with new oak percentages kept deliberately low to preserve the mineral character of the wines. The single-vineyard bottlings typically spend 12-18 months in barrel before bottling without filtration. Throughout the production process, the focus remains on gentle extraction to capture the aromatic complexity and structural finesse that distinguishes Mencía from Bierzo's slate-dominated soils.