Bodegas Raul Perez Ultreia la Vitoriana 2019
Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThis is the first time I have tasted La Vitoriana from Ultreia, and the 2019 Ultreia La Vitoriana is the first vintage produced. It is from the north side of the same vineyard produced by Castro Ventosa. There are only two barrels of this, and he decided to keep it apart. It's from very old vines and has freshness and a touch of rusticity. It fermented in a 700-liter amphora and matured in used barrel. This might be a little unusual, but I love it. It feels very complex, with abundant tannins, a little like Nebbiolo and in need of time in bottle. It's wild and full of character. This is one of the grand crus from Valtuille. Best After 2023
One of the few northwestern Spanish regions with a focus on a red variety, Bierzo, part of Castilla y León, is home to the flowery and fruity Mencia grape. Mencia produces balanced and bright red wines full of strawberry, raspberry, pomegranate, baking spice, pepper and black licorice. The well-drained soils of Bierzo are slate and granite.
Primarily found in the Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras regions of Spain and in the Dão of Portugal (where it is called Jaen), Mencia is an early ripening, low acid grape that can produce wines of great concentration, complexity and ageability. And yet Mencia once suffered from a poor reputation and deemed capable of producing simple and light red wines. Post-phylloxera growers would grow this variety on low, fertile plains, which produced high yields and uncomplicated finished wines. Somm Secret—The recent rediscovery of the ancient, abandoned vines planted on rugged hillsides of deep schist has unveiled the potential of Mencia and added discredit to its old reputation.