RAÚL PÉREZ

Known, among enthusiasts and insiders, as the "Picasso of Spanish wine", Raúl Pérez is a very promising winemaker; his wines are exceptional, and their fame now goes far beyond Spain itself. Raúl, however, despite his notoriety, when it comes to wine, he tends to step aside and let only the grapes and the terroir do the talking. From Bierzo to the Rias Baixas, passing through Ribeira Sacra and Monterrei, Raúl produces wines with a unique profile and unmistakable personality. He’s convinced that wine is made, foremost, in the vineyard, so he moves, every day, from vineyard to vineyard, to check the evolution of his grapes; mencía, godello and albariño are the various favourites. The line “Ultreia” is particularly appreciated, produced in the village of Valtuille de Abajo, the place where the Pérez family lived and worked for years. The "Ultreia Valtuille", in particular, is arguably among Raúl's most fascinating reds. Produced from grapes of the mencía variety, fermented in steel, with a long maceration of 90 days and then aged for 12 months in oak; broad, complex and articulated, it’s a wine of very pleasant texture and long satisfaction. "Sketch" is a must-try, as well; it’s a very harmonic, fragrant and complex white, produced with albariño old vines planted near the sea.