Ultreia, Saint Jacques, Bierzo, 2019
“Saint Jacques is by far the most important wine I make.” Old-vine material from all over Bierzo. Mostly clay and sand-based sites, roughly 85% clay and 15% sand, fermented in traditional oak vats (ex-Vega Sicilia) with 80% whole bunches and kept on the skins for 2 months before pressing into neutral barrel for a further 10 months of aging. Mencia based but picked according to the natural field composition, therefore including smaller proportions of Alicante Bouschet, Trousseau, Palomino, and other wild grapes. “Production in 2018 was moderate as the vines were still recovering from the frost of 2017 but I have included in the blend this year a new 100 year old vineyard planted on iron-rich soils which has brought another level of complexity.” 2018 is the best vintage ever for this wine, offering up lashings of brambly forest fruit, ripe strawberries, and dark cherry stones, with a fine black pepper edge. Effortlessly drinkable but with stacks of character. One of Spain’s most exciting entry-level wines. Named after the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage (aka Chemin de Saint Jacques) which passes through the Bierzo region. 13.5% ABV.
critic reviews
The nose of the 2019 Ultreia Saint Jacques is nothing short of spectacular. It shows the varietal character and the juicy and round style of the Valtuille vineyards. It's harmonious, clean and expressive. They are using more and more stems with long macerations, malolactic in tanks and aging in 30% oak vats (he purchased from Alion) and 70% of the wine in used 225-liter oak barrels for one year. There is only one master blend, which is put into oak vats and bottled by 25,000- to 30,000-bottle lots. In 2019 he produced 110,000 bottles of this wine.