Raul Perez Ultreia de Valtuille 2020
產區:Valtuille de Abajo, Bierzo, Spain
葡萄品種: 大部份 Mencía (類似法國的Cabernet Franc), 混釀少量 Bastardo (Trousseau), Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet), Godello and Doña Blanca
釀造工藝:Whole-cluster fermentation with native yeasts in large, open-top chestnut vat. 超長60-90 day maceration followed by one year of aging in neutral barrel. Bottled without fining or filtration.
95 pts Vinous:
Deep, glistening violet. Expansive, spice-tinged black raspberry, cherry cola, licorice and potpourri aromas are complemented by a strong mineral topnote. Youthfully chewy and focused on the palate, offering concentrated yet lively black and blue fruit liqueur, succulent herb and violet pastille flavors and building spiciness. Finishes with repeating floral and dark fruit character, supple, well-knit tannins and outstanding, mineral- and spice-driven tenacity.
95pts Luis Gutierrez, RobertParker.com, (Jan 2022):
I found more character of the wines from slate soils in the 2019 Ultreia Valtuille, but that is because the percentage of Alicante Bouschet is much higher (from the field blend) due to frost. He also did a very soft vinification and with a shorter maceration. There might be some herbal notes here (boiled vegetables) that remind me of a Cabernet Franc. It has some severe tannins. Unusual. With time in bottle, it might change from an ugly duckling and turn into a swan. A bit of a question mark. There are only 2,500 bottles of this unusual vintage.
1972年,Raúl Pérez 生於Valtuille de Abajo。出身於傳統葡萄農家,Raúl原先對葡萄酒無任何興趣,19歲前都無飲過葡萄酒。就讀於當地釀酒學校,第二年開始學習釀造葡萄酒,Raúl依舊對葡萄酒沒有熱情。在一個年產量3,000萬瓶的Penedès 釀酒合作社,第一份工作僅持續30天。
1993年,Raúl回到家族酒莊,該古老酒莊由1752年傳承至今;直至此刻,終於尋得對釀酒的熱情與天份。1987年,Perez 家族建立了Castro Ventosa 酒莊,並在Raúl 接手釀造工作後,才開始裝瓶上市。身為一個葡萄農、葡萄酒顧問、釀酒師、葡萄酒藝術家,Raúl 為自己的葡萄園工作,同時承租或協助朋友的葡萄園,亦採購葡萄釀酒。除了自家酒莊,也在朋友的酒莊工作;Raúl 在多個法定或非法定產區釀酒,主要位於西班牙西北部,如Bierzo、Ribeira Sacra、Rías Baixas、Asturias與Valdevimbre。除Madrid與葡萄牙外,也搭上飛機至南非釀酒,並對智利與阿根廷充滿興趣。
Raúl推出的酒款都係限量發行,在8,000至1,000瓶左右,品項多達上百種。與其它酒莊合作的穩定經濟來源,增加了Raúl 對酒款上的自由度,擁有獨立判斷的權利,毋須服從過多的指令。Raúl 曾說:「我喜歡生產少量的產品,如此每個品牌就不會以酒商的形式生產。…這些葡萄酒不是為了商業目的釀造,而是為了與我的好朋友分享。」
創新的Raúl 經常打破常規,人們總認為他是天才,那股自由野性的精神,才能打造出如此具個人特質的葡萄酒。例如,海底陳年頂級白酒(Sketch),裝瓶後竟置於海洋陳年;誘惑黑皮諾紅酒(La Tentación),則是款具布根地特質的西班牙Pinot Noir。
大相徑庭現今的釀酒潮流,Raúl的所有酒款均以整串葡萄榨汁,不採通用的溫控發酵設備,另外如降低酒精濃度,甚至以使用一年的舊橡木桶陳年。種種看似離經叛道,卻賦予酒款更多獨一無二的個性。