Corullón 2023

The top Bierzo from slate slopes: Corullón 2023 finally back in stock

Our loyal wine lovers know that we have long been admirers of the Mencía grape and of the Bierzo appellation in particular.

This beautiful region can broadly be divided into two areas:

• Lower Bierzo with poor sandy and clay soils
• Upper Bierzo dominated by slate terroirs

In Lower Bierzo we find the wines of Raúl Pérez and the family estate Castro Ventosa. In Upper Bierzo we find the biodynamic pioneers Álvaro and Ricardo Palacios, with their estate Descendientes de J. Palacios.

As we also saw with the wines from Verónica Ortega, the 2023 vintage has become truly outstanding — perfectly balanced, with plenty of freshness.

From the new Descendientes de J. Palacios winery on the mountainside above Corullón, you overlook the whole Lower Bierzo valley, with Valtuille at its centre. The views are spectacular.

Last year, I visited the estate three times — in April, May and July — and already sensed how promising the vintage would be.

In April I was able to taste the new 2023. It immediately showed as very approachable, beautifully balanced, juicy, with fine mineral complexity and length.

The estate now celebrates its 25th anniversary; the first vintage was 1999. I still have a few bottles resting in my private cellar.

Every time I open one, it becomes clear why this Atlantic region produces wines that age so gracefully. Even fairly warm vintages like 2003 (slightly fresher than 2022) are now at their peak and taste remarkably youthful.

The undisputed price-quality champion is of course the Village wine Corullón, sourced from dozens of steep slate vineyards in and around the village of Corullón.

Always predominantly Mencía, but because these are old vines, you also find a mix of lesser-known varieties in the field blend: both white grapes such as Palomino and rare red grapes like Gran Negro or Tintorera.