Descendientes de Jose Palacios : Al Chelo 2024

Characteristics and tasting tips for Al Chelo 2024 – Descendientes de J. Palacios

Tasting

Appearance
Al Chelo 2024 has a deep, intense colour with the purple highlights typical of Mencía grown on the old vines of Corullón.

Nose
The nose opens with a floral bouquet led by violet, joined by aromas of ripe red and black fruit, including strawberry, raspberry and cherry, over a subtly spicy backdrop lifted by notes of liquorice.

Palate
On the palate, this Vino de Paraje is concentrated and structured, driven by vibrant acidity (5 g/l) and generous extract (26.9 g/l). It offers a dense yet fresh texture with fine tannins, supported by 14.5% alcohol.

Food and wine pairings
This characterful wine pairs beautifully with fine cuts of red meat, such as roast leg of lamb or rib of beef, as well as slow-cooked dishes in sauce or game birds, whose richness and texture will complement its concentration.

Serving and cellaring
Al Chelo 2024, a Vino de Paraje from the D.O. Bierzo, should be kept at a maximum temperature of 12°C and will benefit from decanting at least an hour before serving. With excellent ageing potential, this wine will reach its optimal drinking window from its tenth year in bottle, from around 2034 onwards.

A full-bodied, beautifully balanced Spanish red wine from Bierzo

The estate
Founded in 1999 in Corullón, in the heart of the D.O. Bierzo, Descendientes de J. Palacios is now run by its owners and winemakers, Ricardo Pérez Palacios and Álvaro Palacios. This family-run estate has become a benchmark for Mencía, which it farms biodynamically across a patchwork of tiny old-vine plots on the schist slopes of Corullón. Internationally acclaimed, this Spanish estate has revealed the full potential of a grape variety long overlooked, combining respect for terroir with uncompromising viticulture.

The vineyard
Al Chelo 2024 comes from a selection of estate-owned plots in the paraje of the same name, in the municipality of Corullón, in the heart of the D.O. Bierzo. This 0.48-hectare vineyard stretches across very steep, north-north-east-facing slopes at altitudes of 700 to 750 metres. The vines, aged 50 to 90 years, are bush-trained in keeping with traditional Bierzo practices and farmed biodynamically. They are rooted in Palaeozoic soils from the Lower Cambrian, composed of heavily weathered slate, sandstone and sandy schist, with some clay at depth. Permanent cover crops protect these soils from erosion in a continental climate with a strong Atlantic influence and annual rainfall of around 1,224 mm.

The vintage
The estate rated the 2024 harvest as excellent. The grapes were picked by hand with rigorous selection on 18 September 2024, following a growing season that allowed them to reach fine ripeness while preserving the fruit's acid balance.

Vinification and ageing
To make Al Chelo 2024, the grapes were partially destemmed before alcoholic fermentation with native yeasts in open oak vats, with regular punch-downs. Maceration lasted 49 days and was followed by spontaneous malolactic fermentation in the wooden vats. This Vino de Paraje from the D.O. Bierzo was then aged for 8 months in barrels and bocoyes, without fining, cold stabilisation or filtration, to preserve the fullest possible expression of its terroir.

Grape varieties
Al Chelo 2024 is a blend dominated by Mencía (94%), complemented by 5% Jerez (a white grape variety) and 1% other red varieties.