Descendientes de Jose Palacios : La Faraona 2023

Characteristics and tasting advice for La Faraona 2023 by Descendientes de José Palacios

Serving and cellaring

La Faraona 2023 requires decanting for at least one hour before serving to fully reveal its aromatic complexity. This wine has high aging potential and can be kept until around 2043. It should be stored at a maximum temperature of 12°C.

La Faraona, a legendary cuvée from the Bierzo appellation

The estate

Created in 1999 by Álvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo Pérez Palacios, Descendientes de José Palacios has established itself as one of the most prestigious estates in Castile and León. Spread over 40 hectares divided into 220 plots around Corullón in the Bierzo appellation, the estate takes its name from José Palacios, Álvaro’s father and Ricardo’s grandfather. Jointly managed by the two founders, it stands out for its old-vine Mencía grown on slate and schist slopes, producing, among others, La Faraona, a legendary cuvée made in very small quantities.

The vineyard

La Faraona comes from a single plot (0.55 hectare) located in the village of El Ferro in Corullón, in the heart of the Bierzo appellation. This exceptional vineyard stretches across very steep, southeast-facing slopes, between 800 and 860 meters in altitude. The Early Cambrian Paleozoic soils, composed of sericitic schists and slates intersected by veins of quartz and metals, offer a unique volcanic terroir. The root system remains shallow due to a rocky layer located just 30 centimeters below the surface.

Winemaking and aging

Vinification takes place in oak vats, with regular punch-downs and the use of indigenous yeasts. Malolactic fermentation starts spontaneously in the same oak vat and the wine is then aged in barrels.

Grape varieties

This red wine from Castile and León is composed of 95% Mencía, the region’s emblematic grape, complemented by 5% of the white grape varieties Jerez and Godello, from 83-year-old bush-trained vines following Bierzo’s biodynamic tradition.