Buy Rafael Palacios at The Finest Bubble
Since founding his eponymous winery in 2004, Rafael Palacios has fast become one of Spain’s pre-eminent producers of white wine. His 32 parcels of Godello, spread over 28 hectares in the Val do Bibei in Valdeorras, Galicia, produce some of Spain’s most interesting white wines. Here, vines cohabit with the rocks and stones that define the landscape. Sandy soils, derived from decomposed granite, limit vine vigour and the high elevations (from 620-740 metres above sea level) ensure marked diurnal variation and a long growing season.
The hills are so steep that most of the vineyards are planted on terraces buttressed by stones. Rafa’s viticulture is sensitive to the fragile nature of these old terraces, and he has adapted his approach to ensure these magnificent structures are preserved. Some of the older plots (or ‘sortes’ in Galician) are farmed biodynamically.
