Raúl Moreno La Esencia 2023
Regular price €21,80Raúl Moreno returned to his native region of Seville after an international career as a sommelier and oenologist. In the heart of the sherry region, he produces still wines that originate from grape and terroir, without being bound to traditional styles. His approach is experimental, yet with a nod to classical techniques from the area, including skin contact, flor ageing, spontaneous fermentation, and the use of old barrels. He works with forgotten or underrated vineyards on calcareous soils and expresses them with precision and character.
La Esencia is an intriguing blend of tintilla, palomino, pedro ximénez and arinto. The grapes ferment spontaneously in two separate batches using unglazed 1000-litre amphorae made by potter Carles Llarch. The first amphora, made of light clay, contains whole bunches of tintilla and palomino; the second, made of red clay, contains tintilla, arinto and pedro ximénez. Thanks to the amphora’s elliptical shape, the cap remains mostly submerged, allowing for gentle extraction with minimal pigeage. After two weeks of maceration, both cuvées are pressed and blended.
For ageing, a small portion continues in the red clay amphora, which brings aromatic complexity with notes of cedar and dried rose. The rest remains in stainless steel, preserving freshness, fruit and purity. After 7 months, both parts are blended again.
La Esencia has the mouthfeel of a white wine but with the aromatic intensity and structure of an elegant red. It’s a juicy, limestone-driven wine with precise tannins, vibrant acidity, saline tension and a surprisingly long finish.
domain: Raúl Moreno Yaguë
grapes: tintilla, palomino, pedro ximénez, arinto
country: Spain
region: Andalucía – Sanlúcar de Barrameda
wine style: elegant red (co-fermentation of white and red grapes in amphora)
wine & food: roasted cauliflower with harissa butter, pan-seared pigeon with beetroot and blackberry
serving temperature: 14 °C
cellaring potential: < 4 years
volume: 75 cl
