Ultreia La Vitoriana 2023 Bodegas Raúl Pérez is a truly exceptional case. Tasting it, one fully understands the description “Pinot Noir on steroids” that critics and Masters of Wine have given to Mencía, as it marries remarkable aromatic finesse with a richer, more structured profile. Ultreia La Vitoriana 2023 Bodegas Raúl Pérez takes that characterisation to the next level, operating on a decidedly “grand cru” plane of logic and quality. This perhaps explains why Robert Parker named it his favourite wine from Raúl Pérez for 2023, awarding it 98 points, and why James Suckling adorned it with 97 points.
The ingenious Raúl Pérez, after completing his oenology studies, set out to explore the world of wine and concluded that the style best suited to him is organic and biodynamic viticulture, coupled with minimal intervention in the winery. His reasoning? That this is the only true path to expressing both terroir and grape varieties at their finest. Judging by the accolades he has received and titles such as “the world’s best winemaker” and “oenological genius” bestowed upon him by numerous respected publications, he was most certainly right.
Ultreia La Vitoriana 2023 Bodegas Raúl Pérez is a single-varietal Mencía from a single vineyard planted in 1903 and farmed biodynamically. In the winery, fermentation takes place with whole bunches and indigenous yeasts, while the wine is matured in 225-litre French oak barrels. It is finally bottled unfiltered and without excessive embellishment, in line with Pérez’s philosophy of minimal winemaking, resulting in a wine of unique character.
Ultreia La Vitoriana 2023 Bodegas Raúl Pérez is a world-class expression of Mencía that showcases Bierzo at its very finest! And there are only 700 bottles!
