Descendientes de J. Palacios, Bierzo, Moncerbal 2016

The 2016 Moncerbal is a tad riper than Las Lamas from that same vintage. The fruit was darker and there was a touch of earth in the palate that lent it a subtle rusticity, as it doesn't have the clarity and precision. The palate revealed some dusty tannins and a dry finish. This is great but simply suffers in comparison with some of the other wines from the 2016 vintage. 3,523 bottles and some larger formats produced. There will be no 2017 of Moncerbal, as hail destroyed the crop, and we'll have to wait until the 2018 is released sometime in late 2020. The 2018 Moncerbal has the potential to be the finest Moncerbal ever.

According to Ricardo Pérez Palacios, 2016 was a classical vintage in Bierzo, a little in the style of 2007—warm winter, mild spring and warm and dry summer. I saw 2016 as a very elegant year, with transparent wines, more ethereal than earthy, with beautiful perfume and elegantly textured. 2017 was radically different: they had their earliest harvest ever they started the 21st of August), and it was a warm and dry year but the wines are very different, from 2003 and 2005, as they are very balanced and elegant, very immediate. Only Pétalos del Bierzo was bottled, but I tasted all the others, which should be bottled around February 2019, earlier than normal, as Ricardo says the wines are ready earlier. I also sampled the 2018s, and it might very well be their finest vintage ever, with Moncerbal coming back really strong.

Drink 2019 - 2024