Descendientes de Jose Palacios : La Faraona 2022

The bottled 2022 La Faraona, from the 0.5 hectares of 82-year-old vines at 800 to 860 meters above sea level they own in the "paraje" of El Fierro in Corullón, is a lot less explosive and showy than the barrel sample I tasted almost 12 months ago. In fact, the wine feels more backward, closed and austere than any of the 2022s. It has more of everything: it's very spicy and peppery, with plenty of tannins and grip. This is going to require more time in bottle. It shows some notes of sweet spices that should integrate with a little more time. Patience... It matured in foudre for eight months. 2,050 bottles, 82 magnums, 16 double magnums and seven Jeroboams produced. It was bottled in November 2023.

This wine offers captivating aromas of subtle rust, complemented by a seductive floral character and notes of red cherries. On the palate it’s medium- to full-bodied, featuring chewy yet refined tannins. This is really well constructed and delineated, making it truly fascinating. Sourced from a 0.55-hectare old head-trained vineyard planted at 900 meters in El Ferro in Corullon. While it is currently drinkable, it will undoubtedly benefit from a couple of years of cellaring.