Sorte Antiga, Rafael Palacios 2023

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.

Smoky, chalky and with notes of quince. The level of precision and finesse is extraordinary for a skin-contact wine. It’s truly remarkable how delicacy and softness are preserved here. Flinty, smoky, and with a long, mineral-driven finish.