Rafael Palacios has always been happier producing white wines, something he confirmed 10 years ago in the family bodega in La Rioja with “Placet” a Viura grape varietal wine. Most recently, the youngest of the Palacios clan is endeavouring, in his own bodega in Valdeorras, to give a new interpretation to the high quality Godello grape. His final aim, in his own words, is to “make the first great single-estate white wine (vino de pago)” in Spain.

This objective, at first glance, might sound pretentious, but Rafael Palacios’ professional trajectory, the steadfast work that supports all of his creations; the excellent reviews received by his Godello de Valdeorras grape varietal, plus his family history, give this statement a new dimension.

Connected to the world of wine since birth, Rafael is the son of José Palacios Remondo, founder in 1948 of the bodega of the same name registered with QDO Rioja, he is also brother to prize-winning Álvaro Palacios, creator of ‘L’Ermita’ in Priorato, and uncle of Ricardo Pérez Palacios, one of the most highly acclaimed wine makers of DO Bierzo. Rafael started his training in France, where he combined his oenology studies in Montagne-St. Emilion, Bordeaux with hands-on experience during the grape harvest in Chateau Pétrus and Chateau Moulin du Cadet.

It was during this time that he met the prestigious Australian oenologist, John Cassegrain, and at the start of 1994 went back with him to work at his winery in Hastings River. It was then that he discovered his interest for white wine making. After some months with Cassegrain he continued extending his experience in Coonawara and South Australia where he studied the technical side of winemaking in depth, one of Australia’s fortes.

In July 1994 he returned to Spain, to the family bodega in La Rioja, to start his professional career. Two years later he was appointed as the bodega’s Technical Director by his father. In 1997, motivated by the competition of up-and-coming areas such as Rueda and Rías Baixas, Rafael started to make a superior quality white wine and from that same vintage “Placet”, a white from the Viura varietal, was born. Its acknowledgement was immediate.

This wine allowed Rafael to develop his technical competence acquired in Australia, but after several harvests he wanted to go even further. “Technology is there to be used, but I realised that it would only allow me to make correct white wines and not white wines with a personality”, he explains. He then started to investigate viticulture, the art of growing vines, in order for his wines to reach new heights of expression.

In 2004 Rafael Palacios realised that the time had come to fly solo, he had the energy of youth and the serenity of experience. His path took him to Galicia where the most Atlantic climate of Spain is to be found as well as one of the most acidic soils, an important factor in his decision to establish himself there. This saw the birth of the “Bodega Rafael Palacios”.