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Palacios RemondoLa Rioja

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Vintage
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TECH SHEET

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Vintage
2023
Country
SpainSpain
Region
La Rioja
Type
Red
Producer
Palacios Remondo
Winemaker
Álvaro Palacios
Grapes
Garnacha
Alcohol
13.5% vol.
Bottle
750 ml

Wine profile

Red

Body
Tannin
Acidity
Alcohol13.5% vol
Sweetness

Tap or hover a scale

Wine profile · Red

Body

Level 4 of 5 — Full and broad – like single cream

In line with typical (3.8) · Typical: average of 711 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Body is the weight and texture of the wine in your mouth. It comes mainly from alcohol, extract (everything dissolved apart from water), glycerol and, in sweet wines, sugar.

Where you feel it

Across the whole tongue: how much the wine fills your mouth. Think skimmed milk, whole milk and cream.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the typical profile of the grapes (Wine Folly / WSET), as we have no specific data. Estimate

There is no single number for body. Labs measure dry extract (many wines are between 18 and 30 g/L) and alcohol, which WSET says has the biggest effect on body. Our scale rates the weight in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Light: fluid and delicate
  2. 2Medium−: light-ish
  3. 3Medium: rounded
  4. 4Medium+: broad This wine
  5. 5Full: dense and rich

In practice, for this wine

Wants dishes with structure: red meat, roasts, mushrooms, aged cheese.

Wine profile · Red

Tannin

Level 2 of 5 — Soft – a velvety texture

Below typical (3.2) · Typical: average of 708 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Tannins come from grape skins, seeds and oak. They give red wines structure and ageing potential, and soften with time.

Where you feel it

On your gums, inside your cheeks and on your teeth: that rough, drying feel, like after strong black tea.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the typical profile of the grapes (Wine Folly / WSET), as we have no specific data. Estimate

Labs measure total polyphenols (the TPI index), but that figure is rarely published. Our scale rates the amount and texture of the tannins in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: silky
  2. 2Medium−: soft This wine
  3. 3Medium: present
  4. 4Medium+: firm
  5. 5High: robust

In practice, for this wine

Goes with poultry, pork and pasta without feeling heavy.

Wine profile · Red

Acidity

Level 3 of 5 — Fresh and balanced – like a green apple

Below typical (3.6) · Typical: average of 702 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Acidity is the wine's freshness: it gives energy, makes your mouth water and helps the wine age. Too little and it tastes flat; too much and it feels sharp.

Where you feel it

On the sides of your tongue, and in how much your mouth waters after you swallow. The more you salivate, the higher the acidity.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the typical profile of the grapes (Wine Folly / WSET), as we have no specific data. Estimate

Labs measure total acidity (grams of tartaric acid per litre; most wines sit between 4.5 and 8 g/L) and pH (usually 3.0 to 3.8; the lower, the more acidic). Our scale turns that into how it feels in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: soft, little freshness
  2. 2Medium−: gentle
  3. 3Medium: fresh and balanced This wine
  4. 4Medium+: lively, mouth-watering
  5. 5High: crisp, racy

In practice, for this wine

Versatile at the table: grilled fish, poultry, warm salads. Moderate chilling lifts the freshness.

Wine profile · Red

Alcohol 13.5% vol

Level 4 of 5 — Generous – warms the throat

In line with typical (4.2) · Typical: average of 716 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Alcohol is made when yeast ferments the grape's sugar. It brings warmth, adds to the body and carries the aromas.

Where you feel it

As warmth in your throat and chest when you swallow, and a slight burn on the nose when it is high.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the alcohol stated on the label — On the label: 13.5% vol.

It is the one axis that is always measured: it comes from the % vol on the label. Still and sparkling wines: under 11% = 1, up to 12.4% = 2, up to 13.4% = 3, up to 14.4% = 4, 14.5% or more = 5. Fortified wines (Port, Madeira…) have their own scale: under 16.5% = 2, up to 18.4% = 3, up to 19.9% = 4, 20% or more = 5.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: under 11% vol
  2. 2Medium−: 11–12.4% vol
  3. 3Medium: 12.5–13.4% vol
  4. 4Medium+: 13.5–14.4% vol This wine
  5. 5High: 14.5% vol or more

In practice, for this wine

Avoid very spicy food, which boosts the heat. Serve slightly below room temperature.

Wine profile · Red

Sweetness

Level 1 of 5 — Dry – no sugar you can taste, just fruit

In line with typical (1.0) · Typical: average of 720 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Sweetness comes from the grape's natural sugar that did not turn into alcohol (residual sugar). A dry wine has almost none; a Port or a late-harvest wine has a lot.

Where you feel it

On the tip of your tongue, right from the first sip, and as a richer, oilier feel in the mouth. Acidity can mask it.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the sweetness category recorded on the product sheet (dry, off-dry…).

It is measured in grams of residual sugar per litre. General EU bands: dry up to about 4 g/L, off-dry up to 12, medium-sweet up to 45, sweet above that. On our scale: under 4 g/L = 1, up to 12 = 2, up to 45 = 3, up to 100 = 4, more = 5.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Dry: no noticeable sugar This wine
  2. 2Off-dry: a touch of sweetness
  3. 3Medium-sweet: clearly sweet
  4. 4Sweet: rich and fruity
  5. 5Very sweet: luscious

In practice, for this wine

Goes with the whole meal, from savoury to mildly spicy. Avoid sweet desserts: they make it taste bitter.

Critics & awards

Serve & enjoy

Temperature 16–18 °CIf the room is above 20 °C, 15 min in the fridge
GlassBordeaux glass
Open ahead 15 min · No decanting

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Description

Álvaro Palacios Quiñón de Valmira 2023 is one of Spain's most prestigious and exclusive reds, made in the D.O.Ca. Rioja (specifically in Alfaro, on the Sierra de Yerga). This particular vintage achieved the maximum 100 Robert Parker points (Wine Advocate).

The Wine Advocate
RP 100

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

The 2023 Quiñón de Valmira, just bottled, was absolutely brilliant on the morning I tasted it. It was exuberant, aromatic, floral, extrovert and truly captivating, showing incredible harmony for a wine bottled only two weeks before the tasting. It had a shorter maceration of just 13 days (compared with 45 days in 2022), and also a shorter ageing period of 13 months. 2023 continued the dry, hot trend of 2022, which meant working more and differently in the vineyard, trying to conserve soil moisture and keep more cover crop, something that seems to help the canes better support the vines.

The wine is a true revelation, sensual and juicy, with notes of tangerine and wild strawberry. Winemaking and ageing were extremely careful, to avoid any imbalance in the wine. It has a kind of stony, slightly reductive character that I loved, lending it seriousness and minerality. It's extremely elegant and delicately structured, like never before, with great complexity, combining floral notes with aromatic herbs and exotic spice, taking me somewhat to the character of some Jura reds: ethereal, yet vibrant and full of energy and strength.

It has moderate alcohol of 13.5%, balanced by a pH of 3.59 and acidity of 5.4 g/l. Álvaro told me this 2023 doesn't resemble any other vintage; 2024 is a bit reminiscent of 2021, but 2022 and 2023 are truly unique. The 2023 harvest was saved by rain between 10 and 17 September. The grapes were picked on the 22nd, and ripening was complete, allowing a longer growing cycle. Volumes were, however, lower, with only 3,062 bottles produced. The wine was bottled in January 2025.

There's also a new wine, Álvaro Palacios Alfaro, made at the Palacios Remondo winery in Alfaro but sold separately, like Quiñón de Valmira. The 2023 wines are truly impressive.

When I spoke with Álvaro, he was very worried. In 2022 they had to select out and reject the ripest grapes because of water stress, sorting strictly both in the vineyard and in the winery. They also vinified with a higher proportion of whole bunches and made sure the vats stayed well filled, to avoid oxidation of the must.

2023 continued this trend, but was a more moderate year, with less intense heatwaves. The weather changed around 20 August, when nights became cooler and allowed a return to later picking. The 2023 wines were also saved by some rain, which interrupted the harvest but refreshed the soils. The vines absorbed that water and the grapes gained more volume and flesh.

However, there was hail in 2023, affecting some vineyards. Conditions seem to have changed a little in 2024, but I'll cover that vintage in more detail another time.

Published: 27 February 2025




What to serve with this wine

Dishes calculated from this wine’s profile, grapes and region.