Raul Moreno - 'La Noche', Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain (2021)

TASTING NOTES

Ben's winemaker of the year? You won't believe it is Chardonnay - a little bit like Jura, fino sherry and Chardonnay all rolled into one. Some delicate oxidative notes on the nose, almond paste, salted caramel, white flowers and apple notes, lively acidity and earthy clay. Mind-bending and fantastic wine. 

Northwest vines that were planted in 2016 on the famous white soils "albariza de barajuelas" are used to make this wine. The grapes are handpicked and pressed lightly by foot, macerated on the skins for 24 hours and fermented with indigenous yeasts in clay vats. 

After 5 months in the vats, the wine is then transferred to Amontillado barrels - which provides a truly unique texture and presence to this wine! 

Raúl Moreno Yague, a native of Seville and has spent his career gaining cutting-edge experience all around the world. Think of him as a multifaceted Renaissance man: Winemaking in Australia, France, Spain, and Portugal.

He was also assistant winemaker at Domaine Dujac in Burgundy for two years. Cooking in Marco Pierre White's Mirabelle kitchen, and an apprentice at Thomas Keller's Bouchon at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas before opening his own restaurant. He has a Masters in Viticulture, is part of Spain's world champion blind tasting team and has been awarded "Sommelier Of The Year". 

Through all of his hustle he gained expertise in organic farming, biodynamics and permaculture. His willingness to do things differently (whether that’s experimenting with flor, extended skin maceration, multi-region blends or the use of different amphora) helped him into launching his own projects in 2017 with Vinos Oceanicos. Raúl was attracted to the wines and older vines of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Puerto de Santa Maria, Jerez and Rota.

Raúl was persistent with local vineyard owners and has managed to eke out a collection of older vines that contribute to this project. Local white and red varieties are the mainstays. Grapes undergo various winemaking approaches that include skin fermentation, fermentation in locally-made amphora, maturation under flor yeast (like sherry and Jura wine) with a period of maturation in used Manzanilla and Amontillado barrels.

The resulting wines are striking, different, and excellent. Both red and white (and orange) are zinging with minerality, textural and beautiful saline freshness. Wildly unique and singular expressions, we are excited to see what Raúl has up his sleeves and thirsty to try everything he shows us!