Alvaro Palacios – congratulations on becoming Decanter's Man of the Year 2015

Alvaro Palacios – fond memories of a memorable 

visit and lunch during Los Grandes de La Rioja 2008

Alvaro Palacios is Decanter's latest Man of the Year. See report on decanter.com. 

French Independent Wine Growers: Bertrand Sourdais

Bertrand Sourdais: Domaine de Pallus

I spent several hours yesterday at the French Independent Wine Growers tasting at Lords. Most of the 16 Loire producers present I had met before. However, I had never met or tasted the Chinons of Bertrand Sourdais (Domaine de Pallus) and he was easily my most exciting new discovery, although I'm rather bemused that I hadn't come across him before.

Bertrand is one of many Sourdais in Cravant-les-Coteaux. The Domaine de Pallus, on the border of Cravant and Panzoult, has been in the family since 1891. It has 18 hectares of vines: 12 on the clay limestone coteaux and six down on the plain of the Vienne with its sand and gravel soils. These six hectares are in a Clos in the hamlet of Briancon. Although Bertrand doesn't proclaim it on his labels his vineyards are farmed organically – grassed over in the winter and the soil worked during the summer.

The first wine was 2008 Les Pensées de Pallus, which comes from three parcels: one on clay, one – limestone and one on gravel from the Clos. It spends 18 months in one-year-old barriques. and is attractively soft and ripe. Bertrand had two vintages of the Domaine de Pallus, which comes from four different parcels on the coteaux close to the property. The wine spends 18 months in new barrels. The 2007 is a real success for a difficult year and although there are some wood notes they are by no means dominant. The Domaine is more concentrated than Les Pensées with more structure. The 2007 would benefit from a little more time in bottle. In contrast the richer, fuller and supple 2006 is ready to drink now.

While acknowledging the success of the 2007 my slight preference was for the 2006, whereas Bertrand prefers the 2007 as it has more finesse.

When I asked Bertrand whether he would be at this year's Salon des Vins de Loire he smiled and said he would be at home before explaining that he would be at his other home in Spain - Ribera del Duero, where he was involved from 1999 with Ricardo Perez Palacios, whom he met when studying oenology at Blanquefort, Bordeaux. Ricardo is the nephew of Alvaro Palacios of Rioja and Priorat fame. Bertrand now has his own 15 ha vineyard in Ribera.

Alvaro Palacios in 2008 (Rioja)

Los Grandes de la Rioja: scenes from Saturday 11th September

Alavaro Palacios of Alfaro extends a welcoming hand

No surprise who the star of yesterday's Los Grandes programme was: Alvaro Palacios of Bodegas Palacios Remondo. Entirely predictable as Alvaro has charisma and star quality. Furthermore he and his sister know how to organise a visit properly even though it is likely to overrun by at least an hour or more.

Bodegas Viña Herminia

Saturday's programme, however, started with a chaotically organised visit to Viña Herminia. It was so chaotic that it was a pity it wasn't videoed, so this could be used to demonstrate how not to organise a visit – how to avoid some of the most obvious pitfalls.

The English translator turned up 10 minutes late and the managing director 20 minutes late for our one hour visit. Once the md arrived he decided it would be a good idea to do his presentation on a walkway over the barrel cellar where the acoustics for a group of 30-40 people were very poor. The wines we were to taste weren't opened in advance .... I could go on but won't.   

View from Viña Herminia

Points on the Roberto Par-Coeur 100 point winery visit scale: 60

*

Bodegas Palacios Remondo

In contrast to Viña Herminia this visit had clearly been thought through and was well put together. It helps, of course, that Alvaro is very personable. His sister, Chelo, is equally personable and friendly though less exuberant than her young brother. 

Chelo Palacios

Visits to vineyards in Rioja can be tough! First stop on the Palacios tour

Alvaro tasting in his winery

Farewell complete with Alvaro's  bull-fighting cape

To be concluded...

Los Grandes de la Rioja 2010

Centre of Logroño by night 

Arrived about 9.30 last evening in Logroño for the 6th edition of Los Grandes de la Rioja, which runs from 11th to 14th. This event was first held in 2000 and this is the third time I have been invited. The first time was 2002 or 2004, probably the former but I forget. Then I came again in 2008. Los Grandes is a very good opportunity to taste a number of Riojas on Monday and Tuesday as well as visit interesting bodegas.

Alvaro Palacios (April 2008)

The 2010 programme looks good. Today we start with a visit to Bodegas Viña Herminia, followed by Bodegas Palacios Remondo, which will include lunch. This is Alvaro Palacios' winery and we had a memorable visit and excellent lunch there in 2008, which concluded with Alvaro picking up a guitar and singing. Our programme promises some free time this afternoon in Logroño but if last time is any guide then the two hours free is likely to be considerably shortened by the time we leave the Palacios bodega. 

Guitar-playing wine producer (above and below)

Today finishes with a visit and dinner at Roda, which was one of the bodegas I visited on the first trip when it had not long been established.