La del Vivo 2023 by Raúl Pérez is here to prove that the gifted Raúl is exceptional even when it comes to white wines. At Botilia summer tasting, it was the wine that stood out among all the wines of the tasting! Yes indeed — and just imagine the level of competition it had! Intensity, balance, complexity, solid structure and an endless saline finish come together to create a great wine, which is why it was awarded 95pts by Suckling and 94pts by Robert Parker!
Raúl Pérez, a name that has been closely associated with the renaissance of Spanish wine and especially Bierzo. He has been recognised as “the best winemaker in the world” by leading wine publications, while his wines dominate the scores year after year. A devotee of biodynamic farming and minimal intervention winemaking, as he believes this is the only way to bring into the glass the unique characteristics of local varieties such as Mencía and Godello.
The La Vizcaína range is the expression of specific old vineyards, each with its own unique character, on the slopes of the village of Valtuille in Bierzo. La del Vivo 2023 Raúl Pérez is the only white of the range and consists of a blend of Godello with a small addition of Doña Blanca (10–15%). Godello ferments and matures for 12 months in used French foudres. Doña Blanca follows a different path, as it ferments in 700L amphorae with the skins, before maturing in the same vessels under *flor. Through this process, Raúl Pérez manages to preserve the primary fruity characteristics of the varieties, while simultaneously adding elements that enhance both the complexity and the structure of the wine.
If until now you knew Raúl Pérez for his reds, it is time to discover that he makes equally fantastic whites!
*Flor is the thin film of yeast that forms on the surface of the wine and protects it from oxidation, while at the same time imparting aromas of olive, almond and mushroom. It is most found in Sherry wines.
