He made a name for himself overseas before returning home to start his own winery. Nobody profits on his own ground,' he philosophises. We are now going for purity, concentration, trying to get the maximum expression out of your wine area, also maximum equilibrium, subtleness, harmony. Palacios, who makes an equally fine Finca Dofi and the more generic, higher volume Les Terrasses in addition to L'Ermita, says that while a concentrated, full-bodied wine is desirable, it is only the first step to winemaking nirvana. It won't go to your soul.
Purity affects the soul - it is much more complicated.
I'm always trying to arrive at that point. After more than a decade on his own, Palacios says his experience has led to a greatly improved product. There is much more finesse to his winemaking now, he says. The main difference is that I am placing myself not against traditional Spanish wines, but against the great wines of the world. I am starting from a higher standard.