La Faraona 2021

La Faraona 2021 is one of Spain's most exclusive, coveted and acclaimed reds, made by the prestigious Descendientes de J. Palacios in D.O. Bierzo. Created by renowned winemaker Álvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo Pérez Palacios, this vintage earned a near-perfect 99 points from Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) and 99 points from James Suckling. Because of 2021's challenging weather, production was extremely limited: just 647 standard (75 cl) bottles, pushing its average market price to around €2,000 a bottle.

The Wine Advocate
RP 99

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

The 2021 La Faraona is expressive and aromatic, with notes of Mediterranean herbs and hints of grain and cereal, showing considerable complexity and developing notes of star anise and fennel. Like all the 2021s, it has extraordinary elegance. Ricardo Pérez Palacios told me they're achieving balance in the vineyard; the wine is crunchy, and the combination of tannins and acidity gives more freshness than pH or acidity alone would suggest. It shows a little more juiciness and also more depth.

This is an extremely demanding vineyard and, in 2021, a very strict selection was made, as it was a challenging year. It was picked in more than four passes and three separate vats were made, of which only one was finally selected. Ricardo compared it with the 2015, which has a little more volume and is slightly riper.

Only two barrels were produced, giving 647 bottles, 19 magnums, five double magnums and four Jeroboams. The wine was bottled in December 2022.

I tasted the 2021s already bottled and the 2022s from barrel. According to Ricardo Pérez Palacios, 2021 was the most challenging year ever, a vintage in which Mencía simply didn't want to ripen! From very early on, Moncerbal stood out and proved one of the best vintages ever for this paraje.

2021 was an atypical year, cooler but with a hot, dry end to the cycle. Some grapes were picked at the end of August, but then they had to stop because the grapes weren't ripening! That's why Pétalos has only 13.5% alcohol.

Some wines show a reductive character; it was a cooler, drier year and the wines reflect that more continental, cool profile despite the heat in July and August. The wines are juicy and aromatic, with much more freshness than they first anticipated.

They have moderate alcohol, all around 13.5%, and a narrower, more defined profile. It should be a very long-lived vintage, perhaps not as juicy as 2018, but with very good balance and freshness.

Now in bottle, and with the perspective of time, the wines are developing very well. They may not reach the greatness of the 2018s, but they show elegance and delicacy and are evolving slowly. From 2021, all the wines except Pétalos are certified organic.

2022 was a very challenging year but, surprisingly, the wines turned out more balanced and better than they expected. Alcohol was lower than forecast; the vines shut down because of the very hot, dry weather, or at least the alcohol didn't climb as much, although acidity began to drop.

Yields were high and the white grapes were of very good quality. They used a significant amount of white grapes, close to the 10–12% allowed, when they normally use 6–8%. At the time of tasting, prices for the 2022s hadn't been set.

So far, 2023 looks like a very good, fresh year, but marked by a massive mildew attack, particularly intense in the lower parts of Bierzo on the valley floor rather than at higher altitudes such as the slopes of Corullón.

Published: 10 August 2023