Descendientes de Jose Palacios : Villa de Corullon 2023

Tasting Notes and Recommendations for Villa de Corullón 2023 from Descendientes de Jose Palacios

Tasting

Color

The color reveals an intense, bright purple hue.

Nose

The nose opens with aromas of ripe dark fruit, notably blackberry and plum, accompanied by hints of pomegranate. Balsamic and forest-herbal nuances gradually emerge, enhanced by touches of lavender, incense, and spice.

Palate

On the palate, this medium-bodied wine stands out for its straight, flavorful character. Fine, tightly knit tannins structure an elegant palate where sour cherry and redcurrant shine through. Moderate acidity supports a compact texture, lifted by mineral and balsamic notes. The wine shows a super-elegant, refined profile, with weight yet an ethereal texture. The finish is long, savory, and lightly licorice-tinged, leaving an airy impression.

Food and wine pairings

Villa de Corullón 2023 pairs ideally with aged cheeses and charcuterie. It also goes beautifully with grilled meats, game, and poultry.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to decant Villa de Corullón 2023 for at least one hour before serving. This wine can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve until around 2036.

An elegant, airy Bierzo wine crafted by Descendientes de Jose Palacios

The estate

A renowned winemaker behind the qualitative revolution of Spanish wines over the past twenty years, Alvaro Palacios founded the estate Descendientes de J. Palacios with his nephew, Ricardo Perez, with the ambition of revealing the immense potential of the DO (Denominación de Origen) Bierzo. This family wine estate bears the name of Alvaro’s father and Ricardo’s grandfather, who passed away in 2000.

Their choice fell on the town of Corullón, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain, thanks to its singular terroir. As pioneers—passionate and exacting—Alvaro Palacios and Ricardo Perez craft wines that authentically express the diversity and richness of the terroirs of the DO Bierzo. These fine wines are recognized among the most emblematic of the appellation.

The vineyard

Villa de Corullón comes from a rigorous selection of 90 parcels among the 200 owned by the estate in Corullón, within the D.O. Bierzo. These parcels stretch across 10.1 hectares of very steep slopes with varying aspects, between 500 and 950 meters in altitude. The Paleozoic soils of the Lower Cambrian are made up of slate schists with quartzites, silicates, marbles, and sandstone, structured into sands, silts, and clays. The continental climate benefits from a significant Atlantic influence. The mencía and jerez vines, 60 to 100 years old, have been farmed organically and biodynamically since 1999, with certification obtained in 2018.

The vintage

The 2023 vintage in Castille-León recorded 897.92 mm of rainfall and an average temperature of 15°C. The climatic conditions made it possible to obtain a very high-quality harvest.

Winemaking and aging

Manual harvesting carried out between late August and late September, accompanied by a strict selection of the grapes.For Villa de Corullón 2023, the grapes were partially destemmed before fermentation in oak vats with regular punch-downs and indigenous yeasts. Maceration lasted 34 days. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation took place in oak vats. Aging lasted 8 months in barrels and foudres. The wine underwent neither fining, nor cold stabilization, nor filtration.

Grape varieties

Mencía (95.5%) and jerez (4.5%).