Rafael Palacios Sorte Antiga 2022

177


Drink it now or cellar for up to 10 years. It is recommended to decant it for half an hour. Brother of the famous Alvaro Palacios and descendant of the Palacios Remondo family of La Rioja, Rafael Palacios began his winemaking project in Galicia in 2004, specifically in the Bibei Valley, where today he works around 25 hectares of vineyards located at an altitude of 620-740 meters and divided into 32 plots, planted with Godello and cultivated according to organic and biodynamic farming regimes. Most of the vines are planted in terraces on granite soils. Sorte Antiga is part of the Sortes Unicas line, the most prestigious wines of the company produced in very small quantities. The Godello grapes come from a bush vineyard planted in 1920, located around 680 meters above sea level, with a northern exposure. The vinification is traditional, with fermentation on the skins in large open vats and aging in used oak barrels for 12 months. The wine reveals an intense color with orange highlights, thanks to the maceration on the skins. It is not the typical fresh and exuberant Godello, but rather a round and fleshy wine, intense and deep with aromas of quince and citrus peel and a pleasant mineral complexity. On the palate it is concentrated and balanced with an excellent acidic vein and a long and mineral finish. Excellent with chicken tagine and Pad Thai.