Rafael Palacios Sorte Antiga 2023

Sorte Antiga comes from a single 0.24-hectare plot in the heart of the Val do Bibei, in Santa Cruz do Bolo, in the Valdeorras appellation in Galicia. Its century-old vines, planted in 1920, ungrafted and bush-trained, face north at 680 metres, which slows ripening. They grow on mica-poor granite, in shallow sandy soils that are left untilled and covered with straw, at a very low planting density.

After ten years spent restoring the natural balance of the soils, the plot is farmed biodynamically. The destemmed grapes ferment on their skins with native yeasts in 1,500-litre open oak vats, before gentle, quick pressing. The wine is then aged for nine months on fine lees in used 500-litre French oak casks.

This wine reveals notes of grapefruit, mandarin peel, lemon zest, white flowers, chamomile, quince, almond and flint. Traditional in style, the palate recalls the old brisados: the maceration adds texture without dominating. A concentrated citrus core, lively acidity and marked salinity lead to a long, mineral finish.

The history of wine in Spain is so ancient that no one really knows who first brought the vines to the region. By the time the Phoenicians arrived some 3,000 years ago and founded the present-day cities of Cádiz and Jerez, viticulture was already well established, and Spanish wines were widely traded throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa. You could say that Spain is a winemaking miracle. After years on the sidelines of the world of fine wines, it is now a major player. Investment and ambition in vineyards and wineries are resulting in increasingly rich, complex (often high in alcohol), and spicy reds that are gaining popularity with international consumers. Proud to have more land dedicated to vines than any other country, Spain is only now beginning to capitalize on this resource in a consistent way. Spain is a chaotic jumble of regions and subregions, much like its landscape is a chaotic jumble of incredibly rugged scenery. A glance at a map reveals the climatic diversity among Spain's many wine regions, from the lush, green vineyards of Galicia on the northern Atlantic coast to the parched vineyards of the southeastern Mediterranean. Spain's saving grace for viticulture is the average altitude of its vineyards, which is over 600 meters. Many Spanish vineyards are thus able to produce grapes with good color and acidity simply because nighttime temperatures are relatively low and the grapes don't ripen until after a sufficiently long growing season. But there is a real treasure trove to be found for those willing to dig, and now that a class of connoisseurs has developed in Spain, all sorts of ambitious investors have done their part to change the image of Spanish wine. Today, a new generation of winemakers has quietly begun to craft spectacular wines and experiment with grape varieties that would have been unthinkable not so long ago. Wine remains an important commodity and an integral part of Spanish culture.