If anyone embodies the promise and spirit of "The New Spain," it's Alvaro Palacios. His L'Ermita is widely considered-along with Peter Sisseck's Dominio de Pingus-to be the most important Spanish wine of the modern era.
JEB DUNNUCK 96-98 POINTS - "A barrel sample of 80% Garnacha and 20% Carinena, 2024 Gratallops Vi De Vila is expertly balanced, fermented and aged over one year in foudres and other larger format French oak. It has a sleekness in texture and wraparound, tangy acidity, still showing some of its baby fat with a compelling creaminess to the finish. Light on the palate, it has an ethereal quality layered in red cherry and blood orange, a calm, yet profound wine worth seeking upon release." 11/2025
WINE ADVOCATE 95 POINTS - "The bottled village red 2024 Gratallops, from the "Vi de Vila" from the Priorat appellation, was produced with 88% Garnacha and 12% Cariñena from different vineyards in the village. It had a 36-day maceration and aging in barrel and foudre, where it matured for 13 months. It has a moderate 13.8% alcohol, a pH of 3.55 and 4.95 grams of acidity. They used a significant amount of grapes from Mas d'en Pallares (around 30%) from behind the winery, and they used a little bit of Picapoll from a vineyard they planted 10 years ago. It's expressive, fruit-driven with notes of pomegranate, grenadine and ripe raspberries. It is juicy, sleek, polished and silky. It's medium-bodied; the search in the last few years has been for freshness. 16,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2026."
One of nine children born to the owners of Rioja's respected Palacios Remondo, Alvaro studied enology in Bordeaux, while working under Jean-Pierre Moueix at Ch. Pétrus. He credits his tenure at Pétrus for much of his winemaking philosophy and for showing him "the importance of great wines."
Alvaro could have returned to the security of his family's domaine. But in the 1980s, he was drawn to the largely abandoned, ancient vineyards of Priorat. Located 60 miles from Barcelona, Priorat had been one of Spain's important pre-Phylloxera wine regions. And with its unique terroir of steep hills and terraces, Alvaro believed he could make wines that rivaled the best of Europe.
Alvaro has been instrumental in introducing the Burgundian ideas of Villages and Cru to Priorat. In 2006, he began to elaborate separately a collection of old vineyards from throughout the township of Gratallops to extend and commercialize this idea. The wine is a blend of Garnacha, Carinyena (Carignan) and Cabernet.
JEB DUNNUCK 96-98 POINTS - "A barrel sample of 80% Garnacha and 20% Carinena, 2024 Gratallops Vi De Vila is expertly balanced, fermented and aged over one year in foudres and other larger format French oak. It has a sleekness in texture and wraparound, tangy acidity, still showing some of its baby fat with a compelling creaminess to the finish. Light on the palate, it has an ethereal quality layered in red cherry and blood orange, a calm, yet profound wine worth seeking upon release." 11/2025
WINE ADVOCATE 95 POINTS - "The bottled village red 2024 Gratallops, from the "Vi de Vila" from the Priorat appellation, was produced with 88% Garnacha and 12% Cariñena from different vineyards in the village. It had a 36-day maceration and aging in barrel and foudre, where it matured for 13 months. It has a moderate 13.8% alcohol, a pH of 3.55 and 4.95 grams of acidity. They used a significant amount of grapes from Mas d'en Pallares (around 30%) from behind the winery, and they used a little bit of Picapoll from a vineyard they planted 10 years ago. It's expressive, fruit-driven with notes of pomegranate, grenadine and ripe raspberries. It is juicy, sleek, polished and silky. It's medium-bodied; the search in the last few years has been for freshness. 16,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2026."
One of nine children born to the owners of Rioja's respected Palacios Remondo, Alvaro studied enology in Bordeaux, while working under Jean-Pierre Moueix at Ch. Pétrus. He credits his tenure at Pétrus for much of his winemaking philosophy and for showing him "the importance of great wines."
Alvaro could have returned to the security of his family's domaine. But in the 1980s, he was drawn to the largely abandoned, ancient vineyards of Priorat. Located 60 miles from Barcelona, Priorat had been one of Spain's important pre-Phylloxera wine regions. And with its unique terroir of steep hills and terraces, Alvaro believed he could make wines that rivaled the best of Europe.
Alvaro has been instrumental in introducing the Burgundian ideas of Villages and Cru to Priorat. In 2006, he began to elaborate separately a collection of old vineyards from throughout the township of Gratallops to extend and commercialize this idea. The wine is a blend of Garnacha, Carinyena (Carignan) and Cabernet.
