spanish wines - Raúl Pérez

This is Raul Pérez's top Bierzo-wine. Named after the old salute of the pilgrims on they way to Santiago de Compostela (Ultreia, go on!) it is a perfect illustration of a pure Mencia. It comes from a 1,1 ha vineyard, planted in 1908, 530m above sea-level?

Raúl Pérez knows like no-one else how to achieve the right balance between finesse and strength. This is no doubt the most elegant of all the reds at Ultreia.

A single-parcel wine, from a vine located at 500m above sea-level, near Valtuille. Only 1,500 bottles are produced each year.

La Clave is the latest throw of genius Raúl Pérez. Mainly made from vineyards in the Ponferrada region. What is special about this wine is its coupage. Indeed, besides Mencía, half of it consists of Tintorera, or Alicante Bouschet, a grape variety that was widely planted in Galicia and Bierzo after the philloxera. This grape is best known for its dark-coloured flesh, which makes the La Clave darker in colour than the other Raúl wines.

This entry level wine in Raul Perez's range is a tribute to the Camino de Compostela (Ultreia is the salute given to the pilgrims on the way); it is also a very pure expression of the Mencia grape.