Alvaro Palacios : Les Aubaguetes 2015

Tasting Characteristics and Advice for Les Aubaguetes 2015 by Alvaro Palacios

Tasting

Appearance

The color reveals a garnet red hue with subtle pink highlights, reflecting measured extraction and natural elegance.

Nose

The nose charms with its floral and fruity complexity, unveiling aromas of blackcurrant and blueberry alongside notes of Mediterranean herbs, anise, licorice, and dried flowers. Mineral nuances of schist and balsamic touches complete this refined bouquet.

Palate

A juicy, fresh attack leads into a structure of fine, silky tannins. The schist-driven minerality shows with elegance, bringing a saline dimension to the finish that lingers at length.

Food and wine pairings

This wine is an ideal match for grilled red meats, duck breast, feathered game, as well as aged cheeses. Its finesse also makes it a fine partner for Mediterranean dishes featuring herbs and olive oil.

Serving and cellaring

Les Aubaguetes 2015 can be enjoyed now while also offering excellent aging potential.

The vibrancy and richness of a great Spanish wine

The estate

Álvaro Palacios, a leading figure in contemporary Spanish viticulture, founded his eponymous estate in 1989 in Catalonia, at the heart of Priorat. Born in 1964 into the Palacios Remondo family in Rioja, he trained in Bordeaux alongside Jean-Pierre Moueix at Château Pétrus before joining the legendary “Gang of Five” that revolutionized Priorat. His hallmark lies in his groundbreaking approach to terroir, introducing Burgundy’s classification system to Spain, prioritizing indigenous grape varieties, and practicing rigorous organic viticulture—using mules in the steepest plots in particular. His flagship wine L'Ermita, regularly awarded 100 points by Robert Parker, remains one of Spain’s most prestigious wines.

The vineyard

The Les Aubaguetes vineyard lies in the village of Bellmunt, on north-facing slopes that benefit from a cooler microclimate. The name “Aubaguetes” means “shadow” in Catalan, a reference to this distinctive exposure. The soils are composed of llicorella, the characteristic volcanic black schist of Priorat that gives the wine its distinctive minerality. The vines, some more than 110 years old, are farmed organically and classified as “Gran Vinya Classificada,” in recognition of their exceptional status.

The vintage

2015 marks the first vintage of this single-plot cuvée. In Catalonia, this year was defined by warm, dry conditions that encouraged natural concentration in the grapes and optimal ripeness, yielding wines that are both powerful and balanced.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for Les Aubaguetes 2015 are destemmed and then fermented with indigenous yeasts in wooden vats. Malolactic fermentation occurs spontaneously in foudres. The aging of this wine from Catalonia takes place for around sixteen months in large 600-liter oak foudres, allowing gentle oxygenation without imprinting pronounced woody aromas. The wine is neither filtered nor fined before bottling.

Grape varieties

Grenache (80%), Carignan (19%), Grenache Blanc and Macabeo (1%).