THE DISCOVER CLUB - OCTOBER 2022
We have shared many great bottlings from renowned Spanish winemaker Raul Perez, but we couldn’t be more excited to present to you this delicious bottle of Bierzo Bianco La Del Vivo 2019.
Picture from Dkurnik wines
Raúl Pérez
”La del Vivo”
Bierzo Bianco 2019
Proprietor: Raúl Pérez
Region: Bierzo, Castilla y Léon, Spain
Grape Variety: Godello & Dona Blanca
Viticulture: practicing organic
Method: 80% large-format French oak; 20% amphorae-aged on the skins 1 year
Serving Suggestions: serve at 45-50 F
Age: drink 2022 - 2030
Nose: ripe stone and orchard fruit and citrus
Palate: racy, minerally with trace of salinity
Finish: long lasting with deep complexity
Serve with: grilled fish
ABOUT RAUL PEREZ
Raúl Pérez has quickly climbed to the peak of renown for winemakers in any country. In 2015 he was dubbed Winemaker of the Year by German Der Feinschmecker and later received the same title by French Bettane+Desseauve. He has been described as “the archetype of intuitive winemaking genius” by Master of Wine Pedro Ballesteros, but he might more aptly be called “the Gandalf of Winemaking.” He is humble, approachable, and extremely in-tune with nature and its gifts he can offer: perhaps a result of his family’s 300+ years of tending vines in Spain’s Bierzo or from natural disposition. Whether through heredity or luck, he has almost single-handedly drawn incredible attention to the Bierzo region and its unique grapes Mencia and Godello.
WHY WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS WINE
Pérez’s “La del Vivo” is a blend of two superb vineyards in the village of Valtuille de Abajo, both of extreme age. La Poulosa was planted in 1940 in mostly clay soils and Las Villegas was planted in 1925 to mostly sandy soils. The wine is primarily Godello but blended with a small portion of a local grape Dona Blanca. The wine expresses itself like austere white Burgundy or very round Assyrtiko and provides a unique alternative to those looking for incredible complexity in a white wine.
“Raúl Pérez is a living legend, known for harnessing/revitalizing many of Spain’s indigenous grapes. Today’s small-production Godello is simply sensational: It’s a rich and mineral white that sent our Burgundy signals haywire and elevated our taste buds to cloud nine.”