Tasting with Raúl Pérez


Tasting with Raúl Pérez

Once again, Tierra Nuestra Huelva, and specifically its owner Maribel Becerra, is responsible for bringing one of the great winemakers on the world scene to taste with a dinner pairing some of their acclaimed wines. This time it was  the renowned Berciano winemaker Raúl Pérez who presented a careful selection. In this order: Sketch, Ultreia, Saint Jacques; El Castro de Valtuille; Las Gundiñas; El Pecado (The sin).
With the usual simplicity and ability to communicate his extensive knowledge, Raúl was able to convey what it means for him to create a certain wine. Starting from his own philosophy, where the concept of "terroir" is the key. In practice it is a viticulture where the quality over quantity, and where a wine must express its origin. Each wine has its imprint, its soul, although only to its parcels of origin they separate them just a few meters.




This ability to transform the grape into a unique product, begins with a careful selection of the vineyard, and minimal intervention on the part of the winegrower. It is a question of applying current knowledge of oenology, in the traditional way of viticulture. Not in vain, Raul bets on the use of materials such as the old barrel, or cement, to the detriment of stainless steel. In this way the wine is shown without the "makeup" provided by the new wood. It is not strange that in its viticulture it is included the manual harvesting, the cluster with "raspón" (the whole cluster, skin and wood included), the traditional treading of the grape, or the dispensing in certain wines of the "batonnage". However each wine calls for a different procedure, and in the end that translates into applying natural and even traditional processes to production. In simplicity is greatness.




SKETCH

Salnés, Pontevedra, Spain

Producer: Raúl Pérez en la bodega de Forjas do Salnés.                                                                           Variety: 100% Albariño grape, White wine.
Elaboration: Manual harvesting. Fermented in 700 liter barrels for 12 months. It does not malolactic fermentation. As a curiosity some of these bottles are submerged in the sea for 3 months. Very limited production, about 600 bottles.
Service: 8-9º C.                                                                                                                                                                     Alcohol: 13 º C.

A benchmark within white wines, especially within the Albariños. Once in the barrel the wine has no intervention on the part of the winegrower until its bottling. Fruit aromas, especially citrus, freshness, acidity, saline components of vines that are very close to the sea. Also a mineral background. A round white wine.



ULTREIA SAINT JACQUES

Bierzo, León, Spain
Producer: Raúl Pérez. Valtuille de Abajo, Villafranca del Bierzo (León)
Year 2015
Variety: 100% Mencía grape. Red wine.
Elaboration: Handcrafted. Fermented in “fudres”(Wooden container with round bottom and curved side walls and large capacity (200 - 300 hl.) Used to store and ripen wines).
Service: 14-16 º C.                                                                                                                                                     
Alcohol: 13,5º C.

Ultreia is a greeting among pilgrims of the Way of St. James, which means something like "Let's go there", "go ahead" ... A symbol for this great wine raised and produced in the vicinity of the Way of St. James as it passes through the Bierzo.
Very cherry-colored cherry covered with purple hues. The nose has aromas of forest fruits, balsamic, and even mineral notes. The fruit stands out on the wood, while a delicate acidity is appreciated, and notes of black licorice. Atlantic wine, very mineral, structured and tasty, long end in mouth. A wine that does not leave indifferent.



el castro de valtuille

 Bierzo, León, Spain

Producer: Raúl Pérez. In the family winery Bodegas and Vineyards Castro Ventosa. Http://www.castroventosa.com Valtuille de Abajo, Villafranca del Bierzo (León)                        
Year 2013
Variety: 100% Mencía.
Elaboration: Manual harvesting with selection of each cluster. Aged for 14 months in French oak barrels. Bottling without cold stabilization and without filtration.                                      
Service: 14-16º C.                                                                                                                            
Alcohol: 14º C.

Red wine from old vineyard. It has a deep cherry red color. Aromas of black fruit, spices, Atlantic forest, and also mineral notes. In the mouth it is a live wine, with a smoked bottom, with the ever present fruit. Atlantic wine, elegant, with freshness, with a good finish in the mouth.




las gundiñas

Bierzo, León, Spain

Producer: Raúl Pérez in his winery La Vízcaina.                                                                                                            Year 2014                                                                                                                              
Variety: Mostly Mencía , Estaladina, Souson, Alicante Bouschet.                              
Elaboration: Traditional. Manual harvesting. Fermentation in 5000 liter wooden tanks with the whole grapes that are stomped. Subsequently the wine macerated for about 60 days and is introduced into used barrels of French oak for about 12 months.
Service: 15-17-9º C.                                                                                                                         
Alcohol: 13,5 º C.

A red wine with character. Violaceous red color. It is a wine where the red fruit of the forest predominates along with mineral notes. It is a tannic wine, with a high acidity, although well assembled. It is a wine that needs more time in the bottle. It will improve over time. Powerful in the mouth and in the back. A wine to keep.


el  pecado

Amandi, Lugo, Spain

Producer: Bodegas Raúl Pérez in the winery Guímaro from Ribeira Sacra.                                                           Year 2015 ;
Variety: 100 % Mencía grape from ancient vineyards.
Elaboration: Manual harvest in small boxes, on very steep slopes of the Ribeira Sacra of Lugo. Selection of clusters, stomping of grapes, and maceration in wood and repose in an old French oak cask for 14 months.
Service: 14-16º C.
Alcohol: 14 º C.

A red wine of a precious red cherry color covered with vitilaceous borders. Very complex and elegant nose. Red fruit, spices, laurel and other aromas typical of the Atlantic forest. At the same time it is accompanied by a mineral touch that gives the slate floor. A silky wine to the palate with soft tannins, persistent, fresh, and with a pleasant acidity very well integrated. Gorgeous and easy to drink. A gift for the senses.



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