Not all revolutions involve yelling. Some start with an old vine, a stubborn winemaker, and a refusal to play by the rulebook. In Spain, a few producers are quietly (and sometimes not-so-quietly) rewriting what it means to make honest, soulful wine.
They’re not chasing scores or trends. They’re chasing something deeper — tension, place, personality. These winemakers aren’t rebels for the sake of it. They just happen to think that wine tastes better when you let nature lead (and maybe ignore a few textbook steps along the way).
Here are four winemakers whose work we admire deeply — and whose wines we think you’ll want to drink with friends, alongside good bread and even better gossip.
Ricardo Pérez Palacios (Bierzo)
Mencía with a Mind of Its Own
At Descendientes de J. Palacios in Bierzo, Ricardo Pérez Palacios works more like a vineyard monk than a modern winemaker. Steep, misty hillsides. Old vines. Biodynamic farming. Quiet conviction.
His wines are all about grace over glamour. No additives, no overwrought polish. Just Mencía, doing its thing.
As Ricardo once said, “You need to be in love with the vineyard. If you don’t feel it, the wine won’t either.”
Try: Pétalos del Bierzo. Floral, earthy, a little wild. Like forest air after rain.
Fernando Mora MW (Aragón)
Underground Cellars, Over-the-Top Passion
In the town of Épila (where your GPS might hesitate), Fernando Mora MW left engineering to chase Garnacha dreams. Alongside Mario López and Fran Latasa, he makes wines in a 17th-century underground cellar with serious flavour and zero ego.
Old bush vines, spontaneous fermentation, no filtration drama. Just mountain fruit, stone, and time.
Try: Microcósmico Garnacha. Juicy and floral — like red berries and river stones.
Ramon Parera & Jordi Arnan (Penedès)
Medieval Vibes, Modern Soul
From their crumbling estate at Celler Pardas, Ramon and Jordi are reviving indigenous grapes like Sumoll and Xarel·lo — and doing it with a mix of curiosity, compost, and Catalan grit.
Minimal intervention, maximum respect for what the land gives. Their cellar is part medieval ruin, part fermentation playground.
As Ramon puts it, “Wine doesn’t need make-up. It needs truth.”
Try: Rupestris or Sus Scrofa. Wild, structured, unapologetically local.
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Alvaro Palacios (Priorat)
The Original Cool Uncle of Garnacha
Back in the 1980s, Alvaro left his Rioja roots to plant Garnacha on slate terraces in Priorat. People called him crazy. Now they call him influential (he’d probably shrug either way).
He helped revive a region — and an attitude. His wines are structured, bold, but never bloated. He listens more than he lectures. And he believes that the less you interfere, the more the vineyard speaks.
“The more you respect nature, the more it teaches you,” Alvaro says. It shows.
Try: Camins del Priorat. Black cherries, warm slate, and long conversations.
Curious? Taste What They’re Up To
These aren’t “better wines.” They’re just different. Personal. Sometimes wild. Always honest. You don’t need to be a sommelier to appreciate them — just open to discovery.
If you’re curious, we invite you to try them. Sip slowly. Ask questions. Listen to what the wine is saying. You might not fall in love with every bottle — but you’ll taste something real.
Now available at Terry’s Wine Cellar and online. Ask our team if one of these rebels might suit your taste. You might be surprised.
