Descendientes de J. Palacios: Petalos del Bierzo D.O. 2023

: Alicante Bouschet, Godello, Gran Negro, Jerez, Mencia, Negreda, Valenciana

: rot, trocken; 13,0% Vol.; Trinkreife: 2026–2038

: seidig & aromatisch; frische Säure; pikant & würzig

: Lobenberg: 93+/100; Parker: 93+/100; Jeb Dunnuck: 93/100; Suckling: 93/100

: Spanien, Bierzo

: Allergene: Sulfite,

Abfüller / Importeur: Descendientes de J. Palacios, Avda. Calvo Sotelo N° 6, 24500 Villafranca del Bierzo (León), SPANIEN

Hauptsächlich Mencia, aber mit der Rarität Alicante Bouschet und weiteren autochthonen Rebsorten aus biodynamischem Anbau, Gemischter, uralter Satz. Spontanvergärung. Gewachsen auf Schiefer und Kalkstein. Klingt schon mal genial und spannend. Transparentes Rubinrot. Gewürze, reife Johannisbeere, satte rote Früchte und balsamische Noten, dann auch Tabak. Duftig blumig, Veilchen, Blaubeere und zart salzige Lakritze. Kompakt und frisch hält sich der fein gewobene Stoff zunächst im Hintergrund, dann kommt reife Kirsche, Schokolade und schwarze Johannisbeere. Alles bleibt aber fein und mit einer transparenten Leichtigkeit. Seidig und samtig, genialer Trinkfluss. Man erkennt diese tolle Mischung aus iberischer Reife und kühlem Kleinklima sehr gut und muss Ricardo Palacios schon für diesen frischen und aromatischen Wein ein großes Lob aussprechen.

2023 war sehr warm, aber er ist deutlich kühler und balancierter als der noch heißere und trockenere 2022. Nicht so aufregend und extrem wie 2021, eher eine reife und harmonische Version von 2020. Und so ist 2023 durchaus eine Fortsetzung der so großen Jahrgänge seit 2019. Luis Gutierez, Parkers Mann für Spanien, fasst den Jahrgang 2023 anhand von Alvaro Palacios Weingütern ganz im Westen und ganz im Osten, somit Landesübergreifend so zusammen: 2023 was an even more generous crop than 2022 … the wines have better balance, and it doesn't feel like a warm year at all. In fact, the wines feel more like they come from a cool year. It's a vintage that has a tendency toward reduction, not as much as 2020, but still reductive. But it's an elegant, stony reduction...The quality of the 2023s is stunning. There is a level of precision, cleanliness, symmetry and elegance that, if the end of the élevage and the bottling goes as expected, I must conclude that 2023 might be the finest vintage ... There might be other individual wines that reach higher peaks, but as an overall portfolio, the vintage 2023 represents the strongest collection ever produced.

Parker über: Petalos del Bierzo D.O.

The 2023 Pétalos has around 20% grapes from Corullón and the rest bought from around 100 families across Bierzo, approximately 91% Mencía, 8% whites and 1% other reds that fermented in open-top oak and stainless steel vats with indigenous yeast. Malolactic fermentation took a couple of months in oak and stainless steel, and the wine matured in barriques and bocoyes for 10 months. It comes in at 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.74. It has a serious nose that combines berry fruit with herbs and a licorice twist, and it is a little tighter and more herbal, denoting more sensation of freshness in the wine even if the year was also warmish. But the peaks of heat did not reach the highs they did in 2022. It makes you think of the Bierzo wines from yesteryear, with the rain during the harvest. It's elegant but there's weight. Despite the price level, this is a wine that aged beautifully in bottle, something you don't expect in an entry-level wine. Final production figures were as expected, 297,867 bottles. The wine was bottled between January and April 2025. This keeps its position as one of the best values in Spain.

Jeb Dunnuck über: Petalos del Bierzo D.O.

The 2023 Petalos is a smooth, supple, easy-to-drink Mencia made in a refined and elegant style with integrated acidity. Long and lengthy on the palate, this is the wine that set the producers on their mission to show what Bierzo could do. Dusty and earthy in cacao powder, it’s a complete, complex red from different villages in and around Corullon and Villafranca del Bierzo planted in clay, iron-rich, and sandy soils. Along with the majority of Mencia, it has Alicante Bouschet, Gran Negro, Pan y Carne, Negreda, and other reds, as well as whites such as Jerez, Valenciana, Malvasia, and Godello, all from old bush vines. Delicious. Drink now through 2033.

Suckling über: Petalos del Bierzo D.O.

This has dark cherries, underbrush, dried flowers and a bright edge on the nose. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with firm, focused tannins. It’s polished and angular, almost skeletal in structure. About 85% mencia with small amounts of other red and white varieties co-planted in the vineyard. Drink or hold.

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