Al Chelo 2023 en Primeur

There are not many new wines here, and the first new one in a very long time will be the 2023 Al Chelo, a selection of plots in the Valdafoz zone of the village of Corullón. It comes from a 100% north-facing slope, a very steep slope reaching 70% in some parts. Here, the grapes used to ripen only three years per decade, but it now benefits from the warmer seasons. It wasn't usually vinified separately, because it was challenging and the volumes were small (it's also a favorite of the wild boars). This is 95% Mencía with 5% Jerez from 50- to 90-year-old vines on steep slopes with a northeast exposition at 612 to 675 meters in altitude on laminar slate soils that are worked organically with cover crops. The grapes were partially destemmed in oak vats with punching down of the cap. It has the stony and austere nose of the 2023s, even more austere than Corullón and Moncerbal; it's a little reductive and flinty, but with that elegant reduction that gives it a mineral feeling. It's full of energy and light and is clean, precise and focused, with great purity. It's currently aging in oak and is the wine with more time in oak of the 2023s; it has powerful and energetic tannins that are going to benefit from a longer élevage. It will be priced above the Moncerbal and Las Lamas, and I think it could be better than them! There are around 1,000 liters of this wine.

The inaugural vintage of Al Chelo, which is the name of the 0.39ha plot and also of Ricardo Pérez Palacios' late mother and Álvaro Palacios´ late sister, Chelo. In previous vintages, A Chelo fruit went into Corullón. This is supple, with layers of red and black fruit and a firm line of light-grained tannin. With 5% white grapes.