WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "The young 2022 Ultreia Saint Jacques was selected from 10 vineyards, mostly cooler places because of the warmer year. The nose is harmonious and subtle, and it doesn't show any excess ripeness or heat. In fact, it is most impressive. It fermented with 100% full clusters and matured in used oak—barrels and foudres—for 14 months. The palate is medium-bodied, with a juicy texture and very fine tannins. It has a lot of fruit, but with time, it develops more complexity, with notes of fennel and aromatic herbs..." - Luis Gutierrez
JAMES SUCKLING 93 POINTS - "Floral and fruit-driven on the nose, showing raspberries and blackberries with a delicate lift. The medium- to full-bodied palate has fine-grained, supple tannins and tender red fruit. Sourced 80% from Valtuille, with parcels from El Val and Airola. 100% whole-cluster fermentation." - Jacobo García Andrade, Senior Editor
For fans of distinctive, thoughtfully-made wines that are naturally charming, Raul Perez is a winemaker to know! He has a seemingly innate winemaking talent and an intimate working knowledge of his vineyards in the Bierzo region of Northwestern Spain. His pricing is also very fair for what you get. That's why we're back again to rave about Raul's everyday drinker that eschews the everyday in every other way: the Ultreia "Saint Jacques" Bierzo Tinto!
For those of us who haven't been to this bucolic region, Bierzo is a transition point between the drier, sunnier interior of the country to the cooler, greener Atlantic coast. In contrast to the ubiquitous Tempranillo and Garnacha vines spread across Spain, this is home to unique grape varieties, like Mencia for red wines. Brought down from France centuries ago by pilgrims traveling to the Santiago de Compostela cathedral, Mencia makes wines that can have a stylistic overlap with familiar classics like Northern Rhone Syrah, Burgundian Gamay and Loire Valley Cabernet Franc. The best examples, like Raul Perez's Mencia-driven reds, carry a fairly generous amount of crushed velvet tannin and mellow inner vibrancy, along with a complex display of floral-tinged dark and red fruits (brambly blackberries and juicy crushed cherries) shaded by subtle dark spice (incense, pepper, anise) and a minerality that can reminiscent of finely crushed stones.
Raul Perez is a champion for the old vineyards of his home region, and a key player in lifting Mencias and Bierzo from the shadows. His winemaking makes use of old-fashioned sensibilities: farming is done organically; sulfites are sparingly used to protect the wine; fermentation takes place in large oak vats with most or all of the grape clusters kept intact; and extraction from the grape skins takes place gently over 2 to 5 months. It's harder to work this way, but it gives the wines a more distinctive and layered personality. Look for the vibrant, crunchy-fruited aromas, a subtle spicy/herbaceous accent to the fruit, and naturally soft tannins that provide a sensual counterpoint to the wine's juiciness. The Ultreia "Saint Jacques" might be easy to drink, but it's some serious wine for the price!
JAMES SUCKLING 93 POINTS - "Floral and fruit-driven on the nose, showing raspberries and blackberries with a delicate lift. The medium- to full-bodied palate has fine-grained, supple tannins and tender red fruit. Sourced 80% from Valtuille, with parcels from El Val and Airola. 100% whole-cluster fermentation." - Jacobo García Andrade, Senior Editor
For fans of distinctive, thoughtfully-made wines that are naturally charming, Raul Perez is a winemaker to know! He has a seemingly innate winemaking talent and an intimate working knowledge of his vineyards in the Bierzo region of Northwestern Spain. His pricing is also very fair for what you get. That's why we're back again to rave about Raul's everyday drinker that eschews the everyday in every other way: the Ultreia "Saint Jacques" Bierzo Tinto!
For those of us who haven't been to this bucolic region, Bierzo is a transition point between the drier, sunnier interior of the country to the cooler, greener Atlantic coast. In contrast to the ubiquitous Tempranillo and Garnacha vines spread across Spain, this is home to unique grape varieties, like Mencia for red wines. Brought down from France centuries ago by pilgrims traveling to the Santiago de Compostela cathedral, Mencia makes wines that can have a stylistic overlap with familiar classics like Northern Rhone Syrah, Burgundian Gamay and Loire Valley Cabernet Franc. The best examples, like Raul Perez's Mencia-driven reds, carry a fairly generous amount of crushed velvet tannin and mellow inner vibrancy, along with a complex display of floral-tinged dark and red fruits (brambly blackberries and juicy crushed cherries) shaded by subtle dark spice (incense, pepper, anise) and a minerality that can reminiscent of finely crushed stones.
Raul Perez is a champion for the old vineyards of his home region, and a key player in lifting Mencias and Bierzo from the shadows. His winemaking makes use of old-fashioned sensibilities: farming is done organically; sulfites are sparingly used to protect the wine; fermentation takes place in large oak vats with most or all of the grape clusters kept intact; and extraction from the grape skins takes place gently over 2 to 5 months. It's harder to work this way, but it gives the wines a more distinctive and layered personality. Look for the vibrant, crunchy-fruited aromas, a subtle spicy/herbaceous accent to the fruit, and naturally soft tannins that provide a sensual counterpoint to the wine's juiciness. The Ultreia "Saint Jacques" might be easy to drink, but it's some serious wine for the price!