Raúl Moreno La Pretensión 2023

Raúl Moreno Yagüe returned to his native region of Seville after an international career as a sommelier and oenologist. In the heart of the sherry region, he makes still wines that start from the grape and terroir, without being bound by traditional styles. His approach is experimental, influenced by the region’s classic winemaking techniques such as skin maceration, flor aging, spontaneous fermentation, and the use of old barrels. He works with forgotten or undervalued vineyards on chalky soils and expresses them with precision and character.

La Pretensión is a powerful orange wine made from moscatel grown on albariza soils in El Puerto de Santa María. The grapes are hand-harvested in several passes to combine optimal ripeness and freshness. Fermentation takes place with the skins and a portion of the stems, adding extra structure. After gentle extraction and pressing, the wine is aged in two old 350-liter Cognac barrels: one under flor, the other topped up weekly to ensure reductive aging on fine lees. Batonnage is deliberately avoided and the wine is unfiltered.

La Pretensión is distinctly mineral and aromatic, with ripe notes of peach and apricot, citrus zest, floral accents, and a lingering saline touch. The texture is refined yet powerful, with a soft bitterness from the skin maceration, firm acidity, and slight oxidative character. This is a characterful orange wine with strong gastronomic potential.

Estate: Raúl Moreno Yagüe
Grape: moscatel
Country: Spain
Region: Andalusia – El Puerto de Santa María
Wine style: orange (with skin maceration and partial flor aging)
Wine & food pairing: lukewarm lobster salad with tomato, salmon mi-cuit with grilled sesame
Serving temperature: 12 °C
Aging potential: 5 years
Bottle size: 75 cl