1997 Alvaro Palacios L'Ermita Velles Vinyes
SPAIN / CATALONIA /
- 96 WS
- 93 IWC
- 90 JR
- Variety
Regional Blend
Out of stock
International Wine Cellar | Rating: 93
Bright ruby. Highly nuanced aromas of blackcurrant, pungent minerals and spicy, toasty oak. Large-scaled yet light on its feet. Terrific fruit carries through to a very long, ripely tannic aftertaste. Kept fresh and lively by a flavor of licorice and very good acidity. A great showing for a vintage with a modest reputation for red wine in Spain. Palacios used more heavily toasted barrels following the rainy harvest of '97, but eschews charred oak in richer years like '98.Author: Stephen TanzerIssue: July/August 1999Jancis Robinson | Rating: 18
In 2000 this tasted very rich and obviously oaky AND seductive. Palacios expectd it to close in bottle the following year and re-open for drinking around about now.Author: Jancis RobinsonWine Spectator | Rating: 96
Irresistible fruit meets immovable structure. It'srare that such a juicy, ripe fruit-bomb, lush withblackberry and blueberry flavors, is also soconcentrated and well structured, but this richred effortlessly marries power and grace. Abenchmark for the appellation. 300 cases made.Author: Thomas Matthews
Self | Rating: 93
Decanted for 2 hours. First impressions: very dark, almost black, Some tertiary aromas but the fruit is apparent, dark cherries, menthol, cola and tabaco. Some dark chocolate? it continues to open and expand in glass. Good acidity and balance and extended finish. Ready to drink but still young.Author: rsmfranco
With Alvaro Palacios' background, it's no surprise he's leading the pack of new superstar Spanish winemakers. The industry is in his blood, as his family owns respected Palacios Remondo in Rioja. Family ties don't produce great wine, though, and Alvaro has done plenty on his own to bolster his qualifications. He studied enology in Bordeaux, then worked at Chateau Petrus under Jean-Pierre Moueix, honing his winemaking skills. Instead of taking his experiences back to his family's estate, he blazed a new path straight to Priorat's steep hills and terraces. In 1990 he bought his first vineyard, Finca Dofi, and soon after added to it what has become his most acclaimed source, L'Ermita. The vineyard, planted between 1900 and 1940, faces northeast and offers up Garnacha meriting mass critical acclaim. Alvaro's lofty vision has been to craft a wine somewhere between a Petrus and a Grange; a cursory glance at the reviews makes his accomplishment immediately clear. His three wines: Les Terraces, Finca Dofi, but most importantly L'Ermita, have launched him to absolute cult status.
See other similar producers:Clos Mogador,Vega Sicilia
See other similar producers:Clos Mogador,Vega Sicilia
Collector Data For This Wine
- 116 bottles owned
- 28 collectors
- Average collector rating: 93
(Out of 28 collectors)