Palacios Remondo
Bodegas Palacios Remondo is based in Alfaro in the Rioja Baja. This old family firm has been revitalised by the arrival of Alvaro Palacios who has already made his name, starting from scratch, with his extraordinary Priorat wines. He is now bringing the family Rioja winery to the attention of the wine world. The wines are made from their own vineyards, a rarity in Rioja.
Alvaro assumed the helm at the family estate after father Jose passed away in 2000. Together with enthusiastic brother Rafael, he set out to cut production from 200,000 cases, to about 50,000 cases (all from estate fruit). The brothers instituted a program of revitalizing the estate vineyard, including short pruning and organic viticulture. Rioja Baja (or Orientale as Alvaro prefers) is more Mediterranean in climate than Rioja Alta or Alvesa. Garnacha tends to shine the brightest here. Just as in the upriver Rioja regions, the great vineyard sites are located on the cooler, chalky hillsides. The gem that brought Alvaro back to the family estate is a beautiful 110 hA vineyard that Jose planted in the late 60s on a slope above Alfaro.
