Alvaro Palacios Quinon de Valmira 2023

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