This month’s Sommelier Series will focus on four incredible wines from
one of Spain’s finest winemakers, Raúl Pérez.
We'll be pouring August 21 –27, so stop in for a bite and a sip and
enjoy!
Not to be confused with Albariño, Albarín is a grape variety
indigenous to northwest Spain, and rarely found outside of that area. If you’re
looking to stump your wine friends with a selection they’ve never tried before,
this will do the trick! When I met with
Raúl in Spain, we sampled an older vintage of this wine from a 1.5L bottle, and
I was intrigued by its freshness and elegance. The 2011 Raúl
Pérez, Rara Avis, Albarín, Bierzo, Spain ($11 per 3oz / $22 per 6oz) offers
the same polish and focus that I first experienced. Lively notes of orange blossom, followed by
hints of fennel, evolve into a full bodied yet complex palate. This is a great pairing for fresh oysters.
Aging wines at the bottom of the ocean might be the most
radical technique used in winemaking, and that is exactly what Raúl does with
the 2015 Raúl Pérez, Sketch, Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain ($15 per 3oz /
$30 per 6oz). Once bottled, the wine is kept for several months at the
bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of Rías Baixas, Spain. The
environment is perfectly suited for aging albariño, with relatively no light,
an average temperature of 50˚-55˚, and high pressure with no oxygen. Alluring
notes of fresh tropical fruits easily transition in to a complex and
thought-provoking wine with focused acidity and minerality. It makes a perfect match for our famous King
Crab.
Not to be outdone by his white wines, Raul has been
cultivating some of the most unique and rare red wine varieties on earth. The 2011 Raúl Pérez,
Prieto Picudo, Tierra de Leon, Spain ($12 per 3oz / $24 per 6oz) is dark and inky in color, and a perfect example of the
potential of the Prieto Picudo grape variety. With characteristics reminiscent
of Tempranillo, this wine offers spice-accented notes of blueberry and violet.
On the palate it is extremely textured, exhibiting layers of dark chocolate with
an extremely long finish. This is a
perfect complement for our Double-Cut Colorado Lamb Chops with Mint
Chimichurri.
Mencia, found in Northwest Spain, is known for its pale yet highly
fragrant wines, which are meant for early consumption. Bright and vibrant potpourri notes on the
nose of the 2014 Raúl Pérez, Ultreia de Valtuille, Bierzo, Spain ($13 per 3oz / $26
per 6oz) are complemented by fresh
minerality, with smoke-accented red fruits on the palate. This wine is meant for Wild King Salmon.
Wine Tip: Spain produces wine in nearly every corner of the
country. The wine list at Joe's
showcases many of these that are rarely found in the United States. I recommend expanding your palate and
exploring Spain's esoteric selections- they won't disappoint!
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