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Ultreia St. Jacques
Ultreia St. Jacques
Ultreia St. Jacques is another single-vineyard wine made by Bodegas y Viñedos Raul Pérez. The vineyard is located just west of the town of Valtuille de Abajo in the Bierzo DO region. Rather than the robust, earthy side of Mencía, this limited-production cuvée is more about the youthful, fresh and vivid flavors of the grape. The word ‘Ultreia’ pays tribute to the many pilgrims that have passed by this site since the 3rd Century, en route to Santiago de Compostela and the crypt of James the Apostle. ‘Ultreia’ comes from the Medieval Latin used by travelers to encourage each other, as they pressed onward toward their destination. The word means "Onward!" and ‘St. Jacques’ is French for St. James. For centuries, there’s been a heavy French influence in this part of Spain because the pilgrimage originates in four French cities: Paris, Vézelay, Le Puy and Arles. Many French families from all trades, including vignerons from Burgundy, the Rhone, and Bordeaux, have passed these glorious vineyards to pay homage to James the Apostle. Raul Pérez is one of Spain’s finest winemakers and some wine trade veterans believe Raul is among a handful of the best winemakers in the world. Raul believes great wines are made in the vineyard and he has an uncanny knack for knowing what his vineyards need to achieve their greatest potential. As his great talent has become known, many winemakers now seek to collaborate with Raul.
What makes this wine unique?
Made from a 3.2-hectare (8 acre) single vineyard that was planted in 1889. This wine is a brilliant effort that shows the youthful, fresh and mineral side of the Mencía grape. Of all the wines made by Raul, this is one of his best values.
Rating history:
2008 93RP; 2006 93RP.Grape:
100% Mencía. The vineyard was planted in 1889.
Pairing Suggestions:
With fresh, tart red berry aromas with mineral, woodsy and minty-green leaf notes, this wine is seductive and juicy in the mouth, with a seeming light weight on the palate that quickly gains some heft. Linear and focused, the character of the fruit here is fresh, mineral-inflected red and blue berries with graphite, red currant and woodsy traces. Pair this fine, youthful and pure red with duck and blueberry sauce, roast pork tenderloin and apples, and sushi-grade tuna seared crispy on the outside.
Vinification and ageing:
After hand harvesting, the best bunches from this vineyard are kept overnight in a refrigerated room. Maceration takes place with 80% whole clusters in large 5,000-liter vats (foudres) of neutral oak. Punching down (pigeage) is performed once a day until fermentation takes place. Once fermentation is finished, the large vat is sealed with clear plastic and post fermentation maceration is practiced for 70+ days. Soon after, the wine is put into smaller 1,500-liter oak vats where it ages for 8 months.
Production:
700 cases are made; 230 for the U.S.
Location, Soil, Climate:
The vineyards are located within Zone 1. El Bierzo, sometimes called ‘the gateway to Galicia,’ is enclosed on both sides by mountains. The St. Jacques vineyard is located in the town of Valtuille de Abajo at an altitude of 537 meters (1,762 ft.). The soil is sandy with small river stones. This soil type is poor in nutrients, which naturally reduces the vigor and yields of the vines. As a result, the grapes produced are small, and full of concentrated and expressive aromas and flavors. For climate, the area’s average temperature from April-October is 61.42°F. A yearly average rainfall of 28 in. makes this one of the driest and warmest wine regions in northwestern Spain.
Tasting notes:
Ultreia St. Jacques displays a super-fragrant perfume of boysenberry, rhubarb, and cranberry followed by a succulent, dense, concentrated, and mouth-filling wine. It is a feast for both the intellect and the senses and may well be the best wine under $25 from anywhere.
Alcohol Content:
13.5%
UPC Code:
NO UPC CODE
