2014 | Alvaro Palacios | L' Ermita

A pretty nose of red flowers and fresh red berries with hints of soft spices. Medium body, a captivating texture of ripe fruit and fresh acidity. So refined and fresh. Finish is gorgeous with pure red-fruit character. Ethereal. Made from 91% garnacha, 8% samsó (a local red grape),1% of garnacha blanca and 1% macabeo.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: The 2013 vintage was a very hard act to follow, as for me it was the best vintage ever, but the 2014 L'Ermita is also extremely impressive. The grapes from the mixed varieties found in the old vines (mostly Garnacha with around 8% Cariñena and 1% white grapes) planted in that north facing, cool amphitheater of Gratallops achieved amazing parameters, 14.8% alcohol with a pH of 3.16 (very low) and 6.3 grams of acidity. The destemmed and lightly crushed grapes always ferment in an oak vat with their natural yeasts followed by malolactic in barrique and an élevage of some 16 months. The grapes were harvested on October 28th, extremely late, but not as late as 2013, which was a record. But, 2014 was not as healthy as 2013 and there was some botrytis. Álvaro Palacios told me he had two guys at l'Ermita vineyard removing rotten grapes from the vines with tweezers for the last twenty-something days before they harvested it. It clearly paid back, as there is no trace of rot; in fact, the wine is ultra clean, floral and subtle, and despite not being light, the high acidity makes it feel a lot more ethereal than it really is. This time I really felt a descriptor Palacios often uses for this wine, pink grapefruit. Its acidity makes you salivate, but there is a silkiness in the texture like no other wine in the collection. Pit fruit, cherry and peach, pomegranate, dried roses, pink peppercorns, wet slate and acid berries. This is a l'Ermita for the long haul and at the helm with the very best vintages, flirting with perfection.

Producer Information

Descendientes de J. Palacios is a leading producer of red wines from the Mencia grape in the Bierzo region of northwest Spain. It was founded in 1998, and is a collaboration between Alvaro Palacios of Priorat fame, and his nephew Ricardo Perez Palacios. The venture is credited with bringing the region to much greater prominence on both a national and global stage.

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