Several times I mentioned the name of Álvaro Palacios in this blog. During the last weekend I had the opportunity to visit his family vineyard in Alfaro (La Rioja) and more specifically their estate La Montesa in the foothills of Mount Yerga.
Palacios Remondo La Montesa is a red wine from La Rioja produced by Bodegas Palacios Remondo. The technical director, Alvaro Palacios, is known for producing some of the most coveted wines from Spain, L’Ermita, in El Priorato and La Faraona in El Bierzo.
Palacios Remondo La Montesa 2014 Crianza is a blend of Garnacha (88 percent) and Tempranillo (12 percent), grown in a single vineyard at an altitude of 550 metres on the slopes Mount Yerga in the municipality of Alfaro, in lower Rioja. The soils are mainly limestone and clay with many stones. The climate is Mediterranean with Atlantic influences, with a large temperature difference between winter and summer, allowing an excellent ripening of the grapes. Harvesting is done manually, using periods of little sunlight to keep the grapes fresh.
A Crime is Afoot 