Rafael Palacios
'As Sortes Val do Bibei'
Valdeorras
2021

The producer

Rafael Palacios, the youngest member of the renowned Palacios Remondo winemaking family from Rioja, has established himself as one of Spain's premier white wine producers. After studying in Bordeaux and working in Australia, he returned to Spain to craft the white wine 'Plácet' at the family estate. In 2004, driven by a passion for the indigenous Godello grape, Palacios ventured to the Val do Bibei in Valdeorras, Galicia. There, he acquired and revitalized over 20 hectares of old Godello vines, some nearing a century in age, planted on steep, terraced slopes with sandy, granitic soils. Committed to organic and biodynamic viticulture, Palacios meticulously tends to these small parcels, known locally as 'sortes,' aiming to express the unique terroir of the region. His wines, particularly 'As Sortes' and the single-vineyard 'Sorte O Soro,' are celebrated for their purity, minerality, and elegance, solidifying his reputation as a leading figure in Spanish white winemaking.

The wine

Rafael Palacios' 'As Sortes Val do Bibei' is a benchmark white wine from Valdeorras in Galicia, Spain, crafted from the native Godello grape. Sourced from old vines planted on steep, granitic slopes in the Bibei Valley, this wine exemplifies purity and precision. It offers a complex bouquet of citrus, white flowers, and stone fruits, layered with mineral notes and subtle hints of smoke from its careful oak aging. On the palate, it is rich yet refined, with a creamy texture, vibrant acidity, and a long, saline finish that speaks to its unique terroir. As Sortes is a standout expression of modern Spanish winemaking, blending tradition and innovation to create a wine of exceptional elegance and longevity.

We choose our wines based on a range of criteria (see how we choose our wines) of which critic scores is just one. Rather than simply highlight the best score to promote a wine, our average critic score is calculated from the scores provided by several respected wine critics, who we follow for specific regions. They do not represent all critic scores and, wherever possible, we try and give more weight to more recent reviews. Where appropriate we consider market-based scores like Global Wine Score or Wine Searcher Average scores.

As a rule, we look to offer wines that achieve a 92/100 average critic score or better and frankly a lot of very good wines simply don’t make the cut. As a high-end provider we want to reflect that positioning in the quality of wines we offer. Such wines are only a tiny fraction of those generally on offer in the market. We believe that an average score is a more conservative and representative approach, but it is still subjective and only offered as a guide to our customers, who will (and should) do their own research. We will add individual critic scores to our website in the future.