Giannikos Winery - Descendientes de J. Palacios

The DO Bierzo geo-politically belongs to Castilla y León, but physically it is the gateway to Galicia. The Castillian plateau here becomes a mountainous landscape that turns into a green oasis and a more temperate climate: less extreme than in Castilla and less rain than in Galicia. Bierzo is the kingdom of the Mencía grape, a noble unknown to many, but one of Spain's most underrated grapes with impressive potential. The vineyards are located at an altitude between 450 and 1,100 meters, this in a considerable difference in height, which means that there are many microclimates and terroirs. The main cities are Ponferrada and Villafrance del Bierzo. The bottoms are sandy or clay) rocky in the valley along the river Sil, or consist of limestone and especially slate in the mountains.

The great impulse to this wine region was mainly given by this project. One of the first biodynamic domains in Spain. It was Alvaro Palacios who recognized the potential of this area to make truly great terroir wines. After his odyssey in Priorat, he started this wonderful story together with his young nephews Ricardo. They selected the most difficult vineyards in the whole area: the highest, the most difficult to access and the least yields (because vieilles vignes): these were just those vineyards that the villagers were least interested in because they yielded the least.

Ricardo Perez Palacios is one of the great architects of a silent revolution taking place in the hitherto very quiet Bierzo region. He is the son of Chelo Palacios, of the dynasty known Palacios (Remondo) of La Rioja, and helped in this adventure by his famous uncle, Alvaro Palacios, known for his wines of Priorat. Ricardo has long experience in France, Chile and the United States. Bodega Descendientes de Jose Palacios is currently the absolute trendsetter of the relatively well-known but very beautiful Bierzo. The Petalos is a wine that receives very high ratings year after year.