Often cited as one of the Spain’s most visionary winemakers, Raúl Pérez pioneered the "New Spain" movement and played a crucial role in highlighting the cool-climate Bierzo region in Northwestern Spain and its signature Mencía grape. The Ultreia St. Jacques is his signature entry-level red, made from a Mencía-dominant field blend that also includes Bastardo (Trousseau), Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet), Palomino, and Doña Blanca, all from old vines planted between the 1890s and the 1940s across Bierzo. The grapes are fermented in very large open top wooden casks (13000L) and 50-60% whole clusters are included to add floral and spicy notes. Perez also includes a 60-day post-fermentation maceration, followed by aging in neutral oak barrels and puncheons. Perez’s winemaking philosophy is centered on minimal intervention, allowing each vineyard's unique character to express itself with transparency and elegance. The resulting wine is brilliantly fuchsia in color, and juicy, vibrant, and expressive on the palate with crunchy pomegranate and wild blackberry notes, subtle licorice spice, faint lilac, and distinctive minerality. A subtle underlying current of forest floor, fallen leaves and wild herbs ties everything together. This is a wild that perfectly balances wild – almost sauvage – forest notes with elegance, finesse and restraint. Gently reminiscent of a Cru Beaujolais or a Northern Rhône Syrah, this is a wine that showcases another side of Spain – one that is centered around elegance, terroir and quiet power.

This wine has been consistently great from vintage to vintage and this latest release is no exception. It offers delicious dark fruit in a juicy, medium-to full bodied frame with fine underlying tannins and solid acidity. The old vines fruit combined with skilled, low intervention winemaking make this an exceptional red..

Nicely straddling the line between traditional and modern, this release from Raul Perez places itself firmly in the former camp. Without going over the top, of course! Deliciously savory, with nicely done back of the throat (light) chalkiness. After these initial flavors and scents, the fruit takes over. Black cherries, blackberries, dried lavender, smoke and some bright minerals. There is even a floral undercurrent with a few nicely placed red fruit flavors. This wine is always enjoyable and also very affordable!