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Descendientes de J. PalaciosD.O. Bierzo

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TECH SHEET

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Vintage
2023
Country
SpainSpain
Region
D.O. Bierzo
Type
Red
Producer
Descendientes de J. Palacios
Winemaker
Álvaro Palacios
Grapes
Mencía
Alcohol
13% vol.
Bottle
750 ml

Wine profile

Red

Body
Tannin
Acidity
Alcohol13% vol
Intensity

Tap or hover a scale

Wine profile · Red

Body

Level 3 of 5 — Medium and rounded – like whole milk

Below 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: Vinogrande's tasting notes and wine description.

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 This wine
  4. 4Medium+: broad
  5. 5Full: dense and rich

In practice, for this wine

The most versatile middle ground: from salt cod to white meat and pasta.

Wine profile · Red

Tannin

Level 4 of 5 — Firm – like strong black tea

Above 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: Vinogrande's tasting notes and wine description.

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
  3. 3Medium: present
  4. 4Medium+: firm This wine
  5. 5High: robust

In practice, for this wine

Shines with red meat and fat: protein softens tannin. Decanting helps.

Wine profile · Red

Acidity

Level 4 of 5 — Lively and mouth-watering – like grapefruit

In line with 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
  4. 4Medium+: lively, mouth-watering This wine
  5. 5High: crisp, racy

In practice, for this wine

Cuts through fat and salt: oily fish, fried food, goat's cheese, lemony dishes. Serve well chilled.

Wine profile · Red

Alcohol 13% vol

Level 3 of 5 — Balanced – soft warmth on the finish

Below 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% 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 This wine
  4. 4Medium+: 13.5–14.4% vol
  5. 5High: 14.5% vol or more

In practice, for this wine

Classic balance, at ease with most dishes.

Wine profile · Red

Intensity

Level 4 of 5 — Expressive – the aromas leap from the glass

In line with typical (3.9) · Typical: average of 84 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Aromatic intensity is how strongly the aromas come through: fruit, flowers, spice, oak, notes of age.

Where you feel it

On the nose, before you sip: how strongly the aromas rise from the glass. Swirling releases them.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: Vinogrande's tasting notes and wine description.

It is a sensory judgement, with no lab figure. We only show it when the wine's description or a review mentions it.

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. 1Subtle: you have to look for it
  2. 2Delicate
  3. 3Medium: clear aromas
  4. 4Expressive This wine
  5. 5Pronounced: fills the glass

In practice, for this wine

Holds up to aromatic cooking: herbs, gentle spice.

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

Pétalos del Bierzo 2023 is a benchmark red from the prestigious D.O. Bierzo (Spain), made by Descendientes de J. Palacios under the leadership of renowned winemaker Álvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo Pérez Palacios. Widely recognised for its extraordinary value, this young, oak-aged red faithfully reflects the identity and freshness of the region's slate terroir.

The Wine AdvocateRP 93+Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

The 2023 Pétalos has about 20% of its grapes from Corullón and the rest bought from around 100 families across Bierzo, roughly 91% Mencía, 8% white grapes and 1% other reds, fermented in open oak vats and stainless steel with indigenous yeasts. Malolactic took a few months in oak and stainless steel, and the wine matured in barrels and bocoyes for 10 months.

It has 13% alcohol and a pH of 3.74. It has a serious nose combining red fruit with herbs and a touch of liquorice, a little more restrained and herbal, giving a greater sense of freshness, even though the year was also fairly warm. But the heat peaks didn't reach the levels seen in 2022.

It recalls the Bierzo wines of old, with rain during harvest. It's elegant but has body. Despite the price, this is a wine that ages wonderfully in bottle, something you don't expect from an entry-level wine.

The final production figures were as expected: 297,867 bottles. The wine was bottled between January and April 2025. It keeps its position as one of Spain's best values-

Critic James Suckling gave Pétalos del Bierzo 2023 93 points, describing it as a vibrant wine of excellent definition. His tasting note highlights intense aromas of dark cherries and blackberries, with notes of dried flowers and a mineral touch of crushed stone. On the palate it's medium-bodied, with a polished, slightly angular texture, where the tannins are firm but fine, lending elegance to the structure. The finish is described as fresh, juicy and persistent. Overall, Suckling stresses that the 2023 vintage shows remarkable balance, keeping Mencía's characteristic freshness but with a level of sophistication above the norm for its price bracket.

What to serve with this wine

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