Val do Bibei Valdeorras Sorte Antiga Rafael Palacios 2023 (750ML)

97+ Points, Luiz Gutierrez, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Sorte Antiga, produced with grapes from very old vines, planted in 1920, has changed through the years, and the 2023 Sorte Antiga seems to be one of the finest vintages to date, with the effect of the skin contact almost unnoticeable in the wine other than making it textured and nuanced. The nose is phenomenal too, perfumed and with notes of grapefruit and tangerine peel, denoting citrus freshness (it has a low pH and notable acidity). The destemmed grapes fermented in an open-top 1,500-liter oak vat with indigenous yeasts and matured in third-use, 500-liter French oak barrels for nine months. 1,250 bottles produced. This vineyard is in the process of being certified organic and biodynamic by Demeter." 07/25

100 Points, Virginie Boone, JebDunnuck.com: "A new release, the 2023 Sorte Antiga from ungrafted bush vines that yield tiny berries is full of tension and grace, so refined, with a touch of concentration but not too much. It’s just outstanding, elegant, full-bodied, and richly woven in acidity and minerality, the kind of wine you’ll remember forever. Drink best 2030-2043.The youngest brother of Alvaro Palacios, one of the pioneers of modern Priorat, and uncle of Ricardo Perez Palacios of Descendientes de J. Palacios in nearby Bierzo, Rafael Palacios came to Valdeorras in 2004 and started buying neglected vineyards planted to forgotten native Godello in low-yielding soils at the highest elevations. The winemaking here is modern, with a nod to tradition, using horse and mule in the highest vineyards. (Drink between 2030-2043)" 01/26