2020 Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez, Ultreia St Jacques, Bierzo, Spain

Producer: Raúl’s Family have been vine growers in the village of Valtuille de Abajo in the Bierzo region of Northwest Spain for more than 300 years, at 22 he made his first vintage for his family winery, Casto Ventosa, in 2005 he created his own brand ‘ Bodegas y viñedos Raúl Pérez’. Since he has become known as an innovator & a visionary, receiving many accolades by publications across the globe, he strives to create wines that are ‘ expressions of the villages and vineyards from which they hail’.

Name: This entry level cuvee ‘Ultreia’ is inspired by the saying or chant exchanged between the folks traveling the ‘Camino de Santiago’ an ancient long & challenging  trail that passes through the Bierzo region leading to the Cathedral of Santiago (st Jacques) de Compostela in Galicia. Ultreia ‘keep going’ as an encouragement, conveying the idea of pushing yourself further. The Camino runs directly through the vineyards from which the wines are made.

Varietal: Mostly Mencia with a field blend that includes Bastardo & Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouchet), from a combination of purchased and leased vineyards.

Soil: Clay & sand – ‘Clay soils produce more acidic and fruity wines. The sandy soils give finer wines, but with a higher alcohol content. The wines of Bierzo are born from this balance between these two types of soils, and the mencia variety gives them this unique character ‘ – Raúl Pérez

Place: Bierzo is located in the northwest corner of Castilla y León, numerous  valleys surrounded by mountains on all sides. In the Valley, a temperate microclimate, balancing humid Atlantic influences & the drier continental influences.

Winemaking: 80% whole cluster, fermentation in large Oak Vats, maceration for 2 months before pressing, aging in various size neutral oak barrel & cement vessels, bottled without fining or filtration.