Rafael Palacios Sorte Antiga 2020
96+ - Luis Gutierrez
2022Produced by Rafael Palacios in Valdeorras, Galicia, Sorte Antiga is one of Spain’s most sought-after white wines and a benchmark expression of old-vine Godello. After establishing his reputation through the renowned Palacios family of Rioja, Rafael Palacios moved to Valdeorras in the early 2000s, recognising the extraordinary potential of the region’s granite soils and historic Godello vineyards. Sorte Antiga comes from a tiny parcel of exceptionally old vines planted at altitude in the Bolo area, where decomposed granite soils, a continental climate and significant diurnal variation create wines of remarkable tension, concentration and longevity. Farmed organically with meticulous attention to detail, the vineyard produces only minute quantities, making the wine one of the rarest bottlings in Galicia.
Made from 100% Godello, the wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged on its lees in large oak foudres, a regime designed to build texture and complexity without overshadowing the character of the vineyard. The outstanding 2020 vintage combines concentration with exceptional freshness, resulting in a wine of both power and precision. Aromas of citrus oil, white peach and ripe pear are layered with notes of fennel, wild herbs, crushed granite and subtle smoky nuances. The palate is intensely mineral and finely structured, with remarkable depth, vibrant acidity and a saline persistence that seems to echo the granite soils from which it originates. Still youthful, despite its bottle age, Sorte Antiga possesses the balance and concentration to evolve for well over a decade, placing it firmly among the great white wines of modern Spain.