• Date of harvest: From September 28th to October 20th, 2018.
• Destemming-crushing: Yes.
• Alcoholic fermentation: Spontaneous in inox vats and pump over. Native yeast.
• Maceration: 35 days.
• Malolactic fermentation: Stainless steel vats.
• Ageing: 12 months in barrels.
• Clarification Yes.
• Cold stabilisation No.
• Filtering; Unfiltered.

• Grape varieties (%): 95% Garnacha, 5% Other red grapes.
• Age of vines: 33 years.
• Planting density of vines: 1,214 vines per Acre / 3,000 vines per Ha.
• Viticulture: Vineyard registered as ecological viticulture.
• Pruning style: Double cordon Royat and bush wines.
• Cultivation methods: Tractors and inter-vines process.
• Irrigation: No.
• Green harvesting: Yes, just one bunch by vine shoot.
• Production per hectare: 14.16 Hl Per Acre / 35 Hl per Hectare.
• Harvesting: Hand.
• Alcohol: 14%
• Total acidity: 5.3 g/l
• pH: 3.52

Classic vineyard surrounded by the rugged nature of Mount Yerga.  Limestone and clay-ferrous conglomerate soils. An arid, windswept spot that benefits from the cooling factor of elevation.

As in recent years, the late arrival of the seasons meant a delayed but intense winter in our vineyard on the foothills of the Yerga mountains. The ongoing frosts, the unusually abundant rainfall, and the persistent snow on the highest elevations of the Sistema Ibérico mountains set the trend for the winter season right until the arrival of spring, when high temperatures brought budding forward - 25 days earlier than in the previous vintage. Fortunately, our vineyards escaped the intensely severe frosts on April 27 and 28 that affected virtually all of Europe’s most important wine regions to a greater or lesser extent. In the easternmost part of Rioja, higher than average temperatures brought flowering forward (to May 20 in La Montesa) with no problems in terms of fruit setting. During the first half of the summer, sequential rainfall fed our soils with the right amount of water for the vines to develop perfectly. Water stress was in perfect balance until August: the 39 litres of rain registered that month were not absorbed by the plant as the downpour came in the form of a storm. The first symptoms of stress were noticeable. Coupled with the high temperatures on the second half of August and early September, plants were forced to retain some water from the bunches in order to survive. The first estimates indicated a 15% drop in yields with regards to the entire harvest. The early vintage brought the harvest date forward to the earliest in 20 years. On September 8, around 20 days earlier than the usual date, we started to pick grapes. Under such uncertain circumstances, we proceeded with caution. The warm summery weather during the daytime was followed by a severe drop in temperatures at night time until October 12, when we finished grape harvesting on the higher parts of the estate. As plants were suffering from water stress at the end of the summer, sap stopped flowing so sugar levels were kept under check. Although acidity was slightly lower than in 2016, the cooler nights traced between the strong skin and the dense pulp of the berries, a master template plot that contains and shows the great wealth of this vintage grenache. The sensation of firmness is amazing and the wine appears savory, clean and exquisitely harmonious. It is the expression of an unique vintage bathed by sunlight.  

• Date of harvest: From September 12th to October 14th, 2017.
• Destemming-crushing: Yes.
• Alcoholic fermentation: Spontaneous in inox vats and pump over. Native yeast.
• Maceration: 35 days.
• Malolactic fermentation: Stainless steel vats.
• Ageing: 12 months in barrels.
• Clarification Yes.
• Cold stabilisation No.
• Filtering; Unfiltered.

• Grape varieties (%): 95% Garnacha, 5% Other red grapes.
• Age of vines: 32 years.
• Planting density of vines: 1,214 vines per Acre / 3,000 vines per Ha.
• Viticulture: Vineyard registered as ecological viticulture.
• Pruning style: Double cordon Royat and bush wines.
• Cultivation methods: Tractors and inter-vines process.
• Irrigation: No.
• Green harvesting: Yes, just one bunch by vine shoot.
• Production per hectare: 14.16 Hl Per Acre / 35 Hl per Hectare.
• Harvesting: Hand.
• Alcohol: 14%
• Total acidity: 5.3 g/l
• pH: 3.52

The grapes for La Montesa were harvested from October 5th to October 29th during a vintage classified as "very good". After destemming and crushing the grapes, alcohol fermentation was allowed to begin naturally with native yeast in stainless steel vats. The wine was aged for 12 months in barrel before release.

• Grape varieties (%): 92% Garnacha, 8% Other red grapes.
• Age of vines: 31 years.
• Planting density of vines: 3,000 vines per Ha.
• Pruning style: Double cordon Royat and bush wines.
• Irrigation: No.
• Green harvesting: Yes, just one bunch by vine shoot.
• Production per hectare: 85Hl Per Acre / 35Hl per Hectare.
• Alcohol: 14%
• Total acidity: 5.4 g/l
• pH: 3.44

2015 was rated as ‘very good’ by the D.O.Ca. Rioja’s control board.  Favorable weather conditions in spring and summer produced perfect growing conditions for the vines, as evidenced by an excellent canopy development and plant health towards the end of verasion.  Harvest began towards the middle of September and gradually accelerated until the first week of October, when ‘the most intensive harvesting period in Rioja’ usually takes place.  During this period in 2015, more than 300 million kg of fruit arrived at the crush pads in Rioja and the grapes' excellent health prompted optimistic forecasts for the majority of wines.  By all accounts it was on track to be a ‘great’ vintage, but poor weather during the second half of harvest resulted in outbreaks of grey rot, causing severe problems for many of Rioja Alta and Alavesa’s farmers. Thankfully the sub-region of Rioja Oriental was affected less and a careful selection performed both in the field and at the winery by Palacios Remondo’s superb winemaking team insured only the very best fruit went into tank for fermentation.

Estate-grown Garnacha and Tempranillo clusters were selected first in the field and again on a sorting table, before being de-stemmed and put separately into stainless steel tanks for a spontaneous alcoholic and malolactic fermentation.  After a long maceration of 35 days, an initial blend was made and the wine was aged for 12 months in new and used 90% French and 10% American oak barrels. The finished wine was left unfiltered and clarified with a gelatin miexture before first being bottled in Spring of 2017. Wine analysis: 4.9 g/l (0.49%) total acidity; 3.55 pH; 14.50% alcohol by volume

Located at an altitude of 1,800 feet, Palacios Remondo’s vineyards are grown at some of the highest points in Rioja. The 30-year-old head-pruned vines are hand-harvested, grown organically, and very narrowly spaced (3,000 plants per HA). Soil is comprised of sediments that stem from the Quaternary Era, consisting of clay and a stony-calcareous subsoil, covered in stones, with excellent drainage. Very low in organic material and with a moderated basic pH, the soil is perfect for growing high quality fruit. By dry-farming and dropping close to 40% of their fruit, the Palacios Remondo viticulture team ensures only the highest quality fruit is picked during harvest, which took place from the 1st to the 30th of October.

2014 was the thirtieth vintage rated as ‘good’ by the D.O.Ca. Rioja’s control board. Favorable weather conditions in spring and summer produced perfect growing conditions for the vines, evidenced by excellent canopy development and plant health towards the end of verasion. Harvest began towards the middle of September and gradually accelerated until the first week of October, when ‘the most intensive harvesting period in Rioja usually takes place. During this period in 2014, more than 300 million kg of fruit arrived at the crush pad and the grapes' excellent health prompted optimistic forecasts for the majority of wines. By all accounts it was on track to be a ‘great’ vintage, but poor weather during the second half of harvest resulted in outbreaks of grey rot, causing severe problems for many of Rioja’s farmers. An intense selection both in the field and at the winery was required in order make sure only the best fruit went into tank for fermentation. Considered to be a ‘good’ year for red wines, curiously, the control board unanimously found the 2014 rosés and whites to be of exceptional quality, most likely due to the fact that the varieties that make up these wines are all typically harvested first.

Named after a hillside vineyard located on the northeastern slope of the Yerga mountain in eastern Rioja, La Montesa is a blend of the indigenous grape varieties that grow on the Palacios Remondo estate. Described by Luis Gutiérrez of Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate as being an ‘elegant, streamlined wine that is tasty with great freshness,’ the 2014 La Montesa showcases great balance and all of the lush, red berry and orchard fruit flavors that one expects when drinking an exceptional, Mediterranean Garnacha-based wine. Perfect when enjoyed by-the-glass on its own, La Montesa's multi-faceted flavor profile-including ripe nectarines, pomegranates, blood oranges and fresh strawberries, infused with hints of sweet spice -will pair well with any kind of cuisine. Estate-grown Garnacha and Tempranillo clusters were selected first in the field and again on a sorting table, before being de-stemmed and put separately into stainless steel tanks for a spontaneous alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. After a long maceration of 35 days, an initial blend was made and the wine was aged for 12 months in new and used 90% French and 10% American oak barrels. The finished wine was left unclarified, unfiltered and was first bottled in Spring of 2016.

Wine analysis: 5.3 g/l (0.48%) total acidity 3.55 pH 14.35% alcohol by volume

Located at an altitude of 1,800 feet, Palacios Remondo’s vineyards are grown at some of the highest points in Rioja. As the estate’s flagship wine, named Propiedad, was not made in this vintage, all of the estate’s 29-70 year-old head-pruned and trellised vines went into making the magnificent 2014 La Montesa. Each of the vines, owned by winemaker Alvaro Palacios in Rioja, are hand-harvested, grown organically, and very narrowly spaced (3,000 plants per HA) in soil that is comprised of sediments that stem from the Quaternary Era. Consisting of clay and a stony-calcareous subsoil, covered in stones and with excellent drainage, the area is very low in organic material and with a moderated basic pH, the soil is perfect for growing high quality fruit. By dry-farming and dropping close to 40% of their grapes, the Palacios Remondo team ensures only the highest quality fruit is picked during harvest, which took place from the 8thof October to the 11th of November.