2018 Les Aubaugettes Alvaro Palacios Single Bottle

Country: Spain Region: Priorat

Varietal: Garnacha, Vintage: 2018

Colour: Red Style: Dry

Producer: Palacios Remondo

Description:

If anyone embodies the promise and spirit of “The New Spain,” it is Álvaro Palacios. His L’Ermita is widely considered—along with Peter Sisseck’s Pingus—to be the most important new Spanish wine of the modern era.

One of nine children born to the owners of Rioja’s respected Palacios Remondo, Álvaro studied enology in Bordeaux, while working under Jean-Pierre Moueix at Ch. Pétrus. He credits his tenure at Pétrus for much of his winemaking philosophy and for showing him “the importance of great wines.”

During his time in Priorat, Álvaro has identified special plots and two of these today yield esteemed micro cuvees. One is an incredibly special plot of Garnacha in Bellmunt, Les Aubaguetes. Álvaro came to believe its centenarian vines were some of the most perfect clonal stock in the region, and he was finally able to purchase it in time for the 2015 harvest. Today, just 1,500 bottles a year emerge from this unique Priorat cru. 

It has an assured ten years of life ahead, and will reach its peak 5 or 6 years after its vintage date.

Tasting Note: Les Aubaguetes is a very old, 100% north-facing 1.79-hectare vineyard planted in 1901. The nose is full of ripe red and black fruit, scented with hints of exotic spice and a beautiful line of fruit. Rounded red and black berries dominate, which are sweet and pure yet exceptionally juicy. The tannins, like chalk powder, are exquisitely fine, coating the tongue but resolving effortlessly. This is a crisp, elegant, and pure expression of Les Aubaguetes.