Rafael Palacios

Rafael ‘Rafa’ Palacios makes finely-crafted, sinewy wines defined by granitic soils and old, low-yielding vines that have put Godello from Valdeorras on the global map. He combines traditional methods in the vineyard with modern techniques in the winery to make wines that express the unique terroir of Valdeorras and the singular greatness of the Godello grape.

After growing up in the family winery in Rioja, he followed in the footsteps of his brother Álvaro and struck out on his own, eventually settling in Valdeorras and purchasing vineyards in the south of the appellation, near O Bolo. He’s been making wine in Valdeorras since 2004, but rocketed to even more fame when his ‘Sorte O Soro’ became the first Galician white wine to get a perfect 100 point score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate in 2020.

Palacios farms around 32 hectares using organic and biodynamic practices. His entry-level Louro comes from several terraced parcels planted in granite amphitheaters near O Bolo. The flagship wine, As Sortes, is sourced from very old Godello vines and showcases the variety’s incredible aging potential and elegance, while the single-parcel Sorte O Soro is widely considered the summit of what this grape can achieve.