A new monthly series from Epicurean Ways featuring Spanish and Portuguese wines. We will showcase wines from across the Iberian Peninsula, focusing on wines we’ve loved for years and wines we’ve just met, often from small producers. Not to forget new projects from well known producers like this month’s La Montesa from legendary Spanish winemaker Álvaro Palacios best known for his pioneering work in El Priorat.
Bodegas Palacios Remondo La Montesa 2018
November 2021 Wine of the Month
(Unfortunately Finca La Montesa is unavailable in the US. Perhaps a sharp wine importer will remedy that soon.)
Finca La Montesa: An affordable and reliable red from superstar winemaker Álvaro Palacios perfect for the holiday season. Álvaro Palacios is most famous for his work in Priorat, where he produces l’Ermita, one of Spain’s most acclaimed and expensive wines. Yet he also produces wine in Rioja at Palacios Remondo, the family estate that he left behind to be a Priorat pioneer. Located in the far east of Rioja, in the subzone known as Rioja Oriental, Palacios Remondo has become a force in Rioja since Álvaro’s return to the property. Rioja Oriental is the most “Mediterranean” part of the Rioja region, with a hotter climate and earlier ripening of grapes. The vineyards have been converted to organic farming and Álvaro has focused the wines to highlight the Garnacha grape, long unloved in Rioja but traditional to Rioja Oriental. The single vineyards wines that he has added to the winery’s lineup have gained fame comparable to his finest work in Priorat and Bierzo.
Finca La Montesa is Palacios Remondo’s entry-level red and is very nearly a varietal Garnacha. It’s a perfect example of Álvaro’s surprising knack for producing great value wines that manage to transmit the character of the terroir. La Montesa is made from vineyards near Alfaro, in the heart of Rioja Oriental’s winemaking center. The wine ages for 12 months in barrel and more in bottle before release and is certified organic. It’s a serious wine that stands on its own rather than being simply the gateway to the rest of Palacios Remondo’s releases.
The wine shows its elegance from the moment it’s opened. Garnacha, along with Galicia’s Mencía grape, has the most Burgundian character of the major Spanish red grapes and La Montesa shows this clearly. There’s lots of varietal fruit to match the herbal and even floral notes of course. The vineyards lie at a high elevation, allowing for more freshness than anyone would expect from what could be called a warm climate wine.
This wine is a nice introduction to Garnacha as it’s being made in Spain today by quality producers who find a balance between fruit and complexity that totally expresses a place. If you try any of the other wonderful Garnachas coming from Spain today, you’ll see differences but also similarities with La Montesa.
The best reason to pick up a bottle or six of La Montesa during the holidays is the wine’s flexibility. It works with or without food. It can be delicious on its own, providing enough fruit and interest to engage your palate without overwhelming it. Its freshness and subtlety make it a good wine for an aperitif or with some light snacks, but its fundamental complexity and structure mean it can pair with the main dishes as well. Standard Rioja wine-pairings with red meat and hearty stews may not work as well with La Montesa. I’d recommend La Montesa with lighter fare such as chicken, turkey or pasta dishes, or perhaps best of all, on its own.