Raul Perez La Vizcaina El Rapolao Bierzo 21

Raul Perez more or less put the Spanish growing region of Bierzo and Ribera Sacra on the map. Since he produced his first vintage for his familys winery in 1994 at the age 22, Raul Perez has been at the forefront of the conversation about what has been called The New Spain, specializing in the native cultivars of Northwestern Spain. In 2005, he left his family business to strike out on his own, creating Bodegas y Vinedos Raul Perez. La Vizcaina is a project from Raul Perez that explores the hillside crus around his hometown of Vatuille de Abajo. Four reds and one white, all from single vineyard sites, are produced under the name, all from vines with over fifty years of average age (some much older). The El Rapolao Single vineyard, was planted in 1920 and another in 1980 on mostly clay. Mostly Mencia with Bastardo (Trousseau), Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet). Wine undergoes whole cluster fermentation in large oak vats. 30-day maceration followed by one year of aging in used 225 and 500-liter barrels. Unfined and unfiltered.