Palacio Quemado

Throughout its 284 years of history, Bodegas Alvear has kept its family nature, transferring the ownership from parents to children in such a way that, today, the ownership of the company is now in the hands of the eighth generation, which has gradually contributed to the technical modernization of the warehouse and the preservation of its architectural heritage. The Alvear are quite a few nowadays, and there are more than 50 owners right now. Some of the people in charge of the company are also family members.

Alvear distributes its brands nationally, with its main market in the Mediterranean area, from Catalonia to Algeciras. The winery sells 40% of its production outside Spanish borders, in over 25 different countries, among which we can find Great Britain, Holland, Japan, Canada and Australia.

History of the winery

Founded in 1999 by Alvear and the Losada Serra family, Palacio Quemado is located in Extremadura, on the road from Almendralejo to Palomas, in Alange (Badajoz). It is located in the middle of a 4,000-hectare farm with 100 hectares planted with different varieties, well adjusted to the land and the conditions of the area, in the heart of a fantastic setting, among vineyards, olive trees and pastures, right next to the reservoir of Alange. One of the farms main values is the potential of the soil and its setting. Here, we can find different kinds of soils: calcareous, clayey, sandy and stony. This leads to exhaustive field work, dividing the farm into small sub-plots, which are managed in a specific and individual way, depending on the varieties of grape, type and exposure of the soil, to achieve the maximum quality possible for each bunch.

Since 2010, the winery has changed its philosophy, modifying their work in the vineyard and in the production of its wines. From that vintage onwards, its oenologists have been the group Envínate, captained by Roberto Santana, known for wines like Las Suertes del Marqués de Canarias, Alfonso Torrente, former oenologist of Calzadilla, Laura Ramos, and José Ángel Martínez. Also, since January of 2015 it is part of Grandes Pagos de España, a prestigious association of winegrowing farms throughout Spain that defend and disseminate the culture of "vinos de pago", produced on specific terroir and that reflect the unmistakable personality of its soil, subsoil and its climate.

Work philosophy

The ageing room is located in the middle of the vineyard. This way, they optimise the treatment of the grapes during the harvest. It has the necessary machinery, and the most ideal on the market, for all the harvesting, vinification, ageing and bottling processes.

The climate in this region, softened by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, in addition to its diverse soils, enable the vines to grow in ideal conditions to obtain quality in their wines. For this reason, at Palacio Quemado they work with each plot individually, depending on the exposures and the soils. Here, they apply viticulture with no herbicides, only adding sulphur and small amounts of copper to the vineyard, as well as natural plants like sage, absinthe, cinnamon, among others.

At the winery they also work with very low amounts of sulphur dioxide, both when the grapes arrive as well as during the entire production process. They take advantage of the carbonic from the malolactic fermentation during the ageing as a natural protection of the wine, so there is no need to add sulphur dioxide in this stage. There is minimum intervention in the winery, where they care a lot for the grapes. It enters the winery and the deposits almost without crushing, thus preventing them from breaking and preserving the personality of each plot (for each variety), as well as the character of the vintage. The refinement of the wines is carried out in small 500-litre foudres, mainly made of French oak, and a small amount of American oak. The idea is to respect, to the maximum extent, the work they have performed in the vineyard.

Wines from Palacio Quemado

Below is a list of wines from the winery Palacio Quemado. Enjoy!

Palacio Quemado Tempranillo is a varietal wine made 100% with Tempranillo. It goes through the malolactic fermentation in French and American oak barrels, spending a total of 4 months in these same barrels before it is bottled. On the nose, it is intense, with prevailing red fruit and fine spicy and toasted touches. In the mouth, it is sweet, with a good varietal expression, and an elegant and fresh finish.

Palacio Quemado Crianza is made with Tempranillo from the oldest vineyards, mainly planted on calcareous soils. It has remained in new American and French oak barrels for 9 months. On the nose, it is complex, with a good harmony between the fruity notes and the mineral background. In the mouth, it is tasty, with a very long finish full of fruity sensations.

Palacio Quemado Reserva is made with 70% Tempranillo and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is aged in new and second-use barrels, 70% of French oak and 30% of American oak, for 16 months. Then, it spends 20 more months in the bottle racks until it completes 36 months of ageing. It has an honest aroma, with nuances of cassis and black fruit on a spicy and toasted background. In the mouth, it is unctuous and balanced, with a fresh and long finish.

PQ Primicia is made with a selection of Tempranillo from the clayey soils of Finca Palacio Quemado. After the alcoholic and the malolactic fermentation, which are carried out in stainless steel deposits, the wine remains in American and French oak barrels for 6 months before it is bottled. It has an intense and deep aroma, with nuances of blackberries and ripe cherries, and notes of elegant new French oak wood. Ample and round, with an acidity and sweet tannins that are marked but perfectly integrated.

Palacio Quemado “La Zarcita” reflects the terroir of the plot that has its same name, Palacio Quemado, with soils that are mainly calcareous, cultivated organically. 75% of the wine has been refined for 8 months in second- and third-use barrels of 500 litres made of French oak from forests in Allier, Vosges and Nevers. The remaining wine was refined in Italian concrete deposits without coating. After the eight months of refining, the different terroirs are assembled, producing a wine with a good structure that reflects the character of the vintage. With a good balance between the fruit and the floral notes of the different varieties, and the complexity provided by the different soils. On the nose, it is floral and fruity, with a pleasant balance between fruit and the spicy notes. In the mouth, it is fruity, fresh and balanced, with a long and persistent finish.

Palacio Quemado “Acilates” is a coupage of varieties from the plot with its same name, Palacio Quemado, planted mainly on calcareous soils cultivated organically. This wine fermented in open concrete deposits, with manual punch downs. Then, it was refined for 12 months in neutral 500-litre barrels made of French oak, and a minimum of one year in bottles. This wine stands out for its unique personality, provided by the soil of the plot. On the nose, it has a great complexity with floral notes on the foreground, giving way to a mineral background with spicy touches. In the mouth, it is ample, with volume and balances, and a long and silky finish.