Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez Raúl Pérez Ultreia Saint Jacques 2022 750ml

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.

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.

The 2022 Ultreia suffered in the comparison with all the other Ultreia reds from 2023, as 2022 was a much more challenging, very dry and warm year. It comes from the Ponferrada zone, old vines with a field blend on slate soils. It reminded me of a Priorat, ripe and Mediterranean with notes of wet slate. This had a longer élevage in barrel, close to two years, during which time the wine developed some flor. 7,500 bottles produced.

Crushed blackberry and boysenberry fruit is dark and ripe in this red, accented by hints of dried lavender, woodsy spices and a subtle underpinning of loamy earth and mineral. Fresh, with light, creamy tannins. Drink now through 2026. 10,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.