Pétalos del Bierzo 2023

Pétalos del Bierzo 2023 is a benchmark red from the prestigious D.O. Bierzo (Spain), made by Descendientes de J. Palacios under the leadership of renowned winemaker Álvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo Pérez Palacios. Widely recognised for its extraordinary value, this young, oak-aged red faithfully reflects the identity and freshness of the region's slate terroir.

The Wine Advocate
RP 93+

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

The 2023 Pétalos has about 20% of its grapes from Corullón and the rest bought from around 100 families across Bierzo, roughly 91% Mencía, 8% white grapes and 1% other reds, fermented in open oak vats and stainless steel with indigenous yeasts. Malolactic took a few months in oak and stainless steel, and the wine matured in barrels and bocoyes for 10 months.

It has 13% alcohol and a pH of 3.74. It has a serious nose combining red fruit with herbs and a touch of liquorice, a little more restrained and herbal, giving a greater sense of freshness, even though the year was also fairly warm. But the heat peaks didn't reach the levels seen in 2022.

It recalls the Bierzo wines of old, with rain during harvest. It's elegant but has body. Despite the price, this is a wine that ages wonderfully in bottle, something you don't expect from an entry-level wine.

The final production figures were as expected: 297,867 bottles. The wine was bottled between January and April 2025. It keeps its position as one of Spain's best values-

Critic James Suckling gave Pétalos del Bierzo 2023 93 points, describing it as a vibrant wine of excellent definition. His tasting note highlights intense aromas of dark cherries and blackberries, with notes of dried flowers and a mineral touch of crushed stone. On the palate it's medium-bodied, with a polished, slightly angular texture, where the tannins are firm but fine, lending elegance to the structure. The finish is described as fresh, juicy and persistent. Overall, Suckling stresses that the 2023 vintage shows remarkable balance, keeping Mencía's characteristic freshness but with a level of sophistication above the norm for its price bracket.