Spanish winemakers Rafael and Álvaro Palacios have signed distribution agreements with EMW Fine Wines, seeking to broaden their reach in China as premium Spanish producers work to overcome the country’s association of their wines with low prices.
Rafael Palacios has appointed EMW as its exclusive importer and distributor for Greater China. Under a separate agreement, EMW will become one of his brother Álvaro Palacios’ official importers in mainland China. In Hong Kong and Macau, Álvaro Palacios is distributed by Links Concept.
For Rafael, the partnership fulfills an ambition dating back 22 years to the launch of his estate in northwestern Spain.
“It is a dream and a project we had not yet managed to realize,” he said. “I am convinced that, through this new partnership with EMW, we will be in the best hands and our wines will finally be properly represented in a market that has always been so important to me.”
Álvaro said the agreement reflected a shared commitment to fine wine, traditional winemaking and terroir. He hopes it will bring Chinese consumers closer to the distinctive character of his vineyards in Priorat, Rioja and Bierzo.
The brothers gain access to a distribution network serving hotels, restaurants, specialist retailers, online channels, distributors and private customers in more than 160 Chinese cities. Founded in 2003, EMW received investment from Japan’s Cool Japan Fund in 2019 and carries wines, sake and nonalcoholic drinks from 16 countries and more than 110 regions.
The agreements bring together two brothers whose wines have helped establish the international reputations of their respective regions.
Álvaro began his career in the 1980s and became a leading figure in the development of Priorat, in northeastern Spain. His L’Ermita vineyard is one of the region’s landmark sites, and its namesake wine has earned three perfect scores from The Wine Advocate.
Rafael established his own project in 2004, acquiring vineyards near O Bolo in the Bibei Valley, within the Valdeorras appellation. He specializes in Godello, a native white grape variety.
His flagship wine, Sorte O Soro, has twice received perfect scores from leading critics. The Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutiérrez described the 2014 vintage as “one of the best white wines ever produced in Spain.”
Overcoming Spain’s Low-Price Image
Critical recognition, however, does not necessarily translate into an easy sale in China.
Lower-priced wines have long shaped Spain’s presence in the market, leaving premium producers with the task of persuading consumers to look beyond familiar price expectations.
The broader trade is also contracting. Chinese customs data show that imports of Spanish wine fell 21.2% by volume to 6.17 million liters in the first nine months of 2026. Import value declined 17.2% to US$25.71 million, equivalent to an average import price of US$4.16 per liter.
An industry professional who sells Spanish wines previously told Vino Joy News that premium producers need to reach knowledgeable drinkers with an existing interest in particular Spanish regions.
EMW CEO Oscar Nagore believes that audience is developing. He said China’s wine market is undergoing structural changes, with sommeliers and fine wine enthusiasts increasingly looking beyond regional name recognition to examine a wine’s origins, history and quality.
EMW has observed growing demand for high-quality whites with aging potential, alongside greater interest in Spain’s classic single-vineyard reds, categories that align with the brothers’ strengths.
“Álvaro and Rafael Palacios embody the absolute peak of this movement,” Nagore said.
“Partnering with these two master craftsmen perfectly aligns with EMW’s long-term vision: to be the most trusted, strategic, and quality-obsessed fine wine partner in the region, connecting iconic producers with Greater China’s most discerning palates.”
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