Palacios Remondo Rioja La Montesa

Wine of the Week: 2010 Bodegas Palacios Remondo Rioja "La Montesa"

SOLD OUT! It’s rare that I come across a wine with this sort of pedigree at such an incredible price, but when I do, I let you know about it.

The Palacios Remondo Estate was founded by Don Jose Palcios Remondo in 1945 in Alfario in Rioja Baja. Today, the estate is run by Don Jose’s son Alvaro Palacios, and the estate is producing better wines than ever. In fact, the Wine Advocate scored the 2010 version of this wine at 93 points!

2010 Bodegas Palacios Remondo Rioja "La Montesa"

93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

SOLD OUT

Alvaro Palacios is one of the great names in Spanish wine. After spending most of the 1990’s producing some of the greatest wines in the Priorat and Bierzo zones, he returned to his family's estate in 2000 after his father passed away. He immediately began converting all of the vineyards over to organic viticulture and he cut productions levels drastically. His hard work and commitment to quality over quantity is what propelled this estate from mediocrity to magnificence.

Alvaro’s 2010 “La Montesa” comes from a single, hillside vineyard located at 1,800 feet in elevation. The soil of this particular site is composed of clay and rocky calcium subsoil overlain by gravel, much like you find in the famed vineyards of Chateauneuf du Pape.

Fermented and aged in French and American oak, only 20% new, the resulting wine displays a beautiful, bright, ruby red color followed by a nose of fresh cherry, wild strawberry, raspberry, flowers, spices and minerals. The palate is elegant, supple, friendly and savory with a nice mix of pure red fruits, exotic spices and a slightly smoky quality.

Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville