KEY FACTS
CLIMATE: Semi-continental: average annual temperature 61 °F (16 °C)
ELEVATION: 1,706feet(520m)
SOILS: Reddishearthcomposedofclayand calcareousstones. Plotsofcalcareous,sandy, androckysoil
CLASS: DORiberadelGuadiana, VinodelaTierradeExtremadura
VINE: 237 acres(96ha)across21plots
KEY VARIETALS: Trincadeira, TourigaNacional,TourigaFranca, AlfrocheiroPreto,AlicanteBouschet, Tempranillo,Garnacha,Syrah
ECO: Integrated viticulture techniques such as tilling to minimize weeds
INNOVATE: Research on varieties and clones
HISTORY
With almost three centuries of winemaking in Montilla-Moriles,theAlvearfamilywaslookingfor a project to make red wines. Manuel and Antonio LosadaSerrawantedtofulfilltheirfather’sdreamof creating a fine wine project in the Tierra de Barros subzone.Throughaseriesofcoincidentalmeetings,the two families joined forces to achieve their mutual goalsin2000.ThePalacioQuemadoestatedatesback to the late 18th century, and more recently, was planted with cereals and legumes. The families recognized the potential for viticulture and began plantingvineyards.
Palacio Quemado is in the process of obtaining a “Wineries for Climate Protection” certification, which is granted by a collaborative group of wineries committed to reducing carbon emissions across the wine industry. They also exclusively practice integrated agriculture, keeping use of herbicides and pesticides to a minimum and employing only organic manure to fertilize the vineyard. In winter, theestate’slandisusedforsheepgrazing.
THE FAMILY & TEAM
Luis Giménez Alvear, General Director of the Alvear Group, leads the team at Palacio Quemado. They are excited to show the potential and quality of the estate’s terroir and the local varietiesofLaRaya.
Gemma Verdaguer is the manager of Palacio Quemado, with more than 20 years of experience. Soraya Rodrigues, the winemaker, is a native of Extremadura with experience in La Rioja. Luis Lopes is a Portuguese consulting winemaker who specializes in Portuguese varieties. His experience includes workingwithwinemakerslikeAntonioMadeiraandLuisPato.
Luis Giménez Alvear (8th generation of the Alvear family) and Gemma Verdaguer with the Palacio Quemado team
TERROIR
Palacio Quemado is located in the Tierra de Barros subzone of Extremadura. It has a hot, semi-continental climate with influence from the Atlantic Ocean. Rains are concentrated in the winter; summers are quite dry.
The landscape of the estate is complemented by large areas of Mediterranean forest, where cork and holm oaks predominate.The vineyard sits in a Special Protection Area for birds and is home to eagles, kestrels and waterfowl.
There are diverse soil types across the estate’s 21 plots, including red clay, limestone and sand. The red soils are luvisol, which develops on gentle slopes or plains, and in climates where there are well-defined dry and wet seasons. The term derives from the Latin word lure, which means to wash, referring to the washing of clay from the upper layers to where it accumulates in the lower layers. Its distinct red color comes from iron oxides.
PalacioQuemadoisintentonmakingmemorableandexcitingwineswiththecharacterofExtremaduraandLaRaya.Many ofthetraditionalvarietiestheyplantedin1999ripenlater,andresistheatanddrought.TrincadeiraPreta,TourigaNacional, TourigaFranca,AlfrocheiroandArintoareabletomaintainfreshnessandgoodaciditywithoutoverripeflavors.Grapeslike Trincadeira Preta actually need the heat and sun to achieve proper maturity, while their natural acidity is an important part ofafinalblend.
EXPRESSIVE WINEMAKING
Palacio Quemado understands that quality wines are born of viticulture and vinification: only when varieties are well-adapted to the terroir and when the winemaker makes use of the best oenological practices are the wines truly expressive.Inthisspirit,PalacioQuemadotailorswinemakingtomakemoreclassiccrianzaandreserva-stylewinesagedin American and French oak barrels. However, in signature wines like La Raya and La Zarcita, whole clusters are vinified in concreteandfoudrestopreservethefruit-forwardcharacterandroundoutthetanninswithoutoakinfluence.Eachofthese vessels imparts a different character, texture and personality to the fruit, allowing the estate to give specific identities to everywine.
Palacio Quemado continues to research the best clones for the microclimate of the estate, focusing on several clones of Tempranillo and Garnacha Tintorera.Themainfocuswillbe on selecting for resistance to hydric stress, a major issue in Extremadurarecently.
How is the terroir reflected in the wines of Palacio Quemado?
Hot summers and light Atlantic influence give the wines a profile of ripe fruit and silky tannins. Using traditional regional varieties, the nose of their wines is lively and bright, avoiding the raisin and dried fig aromas of overripe grapes. The dry summers also reduce vine diseases, keeping sulfur treatments to a bareminimum.
The clay-rich soils are important in such a hot climate for retention of winter rains, which supports a steady ripening process. The calcareous stones or calcareous bedrock (depending on the plot) help to maintainacidityandaddfreshnesstothewines.
Singularities of the Winery
Why is Palacio Quemado a Grandes Pagos de España winery?
Palacio Quemado´s wines embody the character of La Raya, where Alentejo meets Extremadura. They joined GPE to collaborate with other wineries to lead in the pursuit of terroir-driven, single-vineyard wines. They are currentlytheonlyGPEwineryinExtremadura.
PORTFOLIO
PALACIO QUEMADO:
La Raya, La Zarcita, Crianza, Reserva, Vendimia Seleccionada
La Raya VdT Extremadura
Varieties
100% Trincadeira
Vinification
Whole clusters fermented in concrete. Malolactic fermentation in 500 L barrels, 18 months aging in 500 L and 5,000 L fudres
Good to Know
Single-vineyard wine
The history of the Palacio Quemado is one of innovation and differentiation through a broader perspective of the land, looking for quality references such as the viticulture of the Alentejo rooted in the terroir of Tierra de Barros and La Raya. The research into the cultivation and vinification of Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Arinto (and others) is creatingauniqueexpressionofthepago. of aging, the wine is blended.
Good to Know
Best fruit from selected parcels to represent the best of the terroir
PALACIO QUEMADO
Ctra. Almendralejo-Palomas Km 6,9 06840 Alange
Badajoz ALVEAR.ES/PALACIO -QUEMADO @PALACIOQUEMADO
Contact: Álvaro Ruiz export@alvear.es
