Raúl Moreno Yagüe’s Winemaking Project in Jerez
True Sevillano Raul Moreno’s extensive global journey covered both kitchen and sommelier roles in fine dining restaurants in London and across the US, He then moved to Australia where he worked several jobs in restaurants alongside viticulture study in Melbourne University and Waga Waga in NSW.
Fueled by his passion for winemaking and viticulture, Raul involved himself in several experimental projects across the world in countries such as France, United States, Georgia and South Africa. During this time he was truly bitten by the winemaking bug, eventually moving back to his hometown to make wine in Jerez.
It was the wines of the Sherry Triangle, one of the most established and historic wine regions in the world, where he still felt there was a lot of work to do and huge potential both from a viticultural and winemaking standpoint
As opposed to the fortified wines of the marco, it was the unfortified wines or “wines of pasture,” that were initial projects he was involved with, Vinos Oceanicos and their wines Las Cepas de Paco and Curro. A starting point pre the formation of his own solo project making wines of incredible precision. Taking on a winery just outside of Jerez he began experimenting, sourcing his fruit from some of the most attractive plots in the area. Working with vineyards from Jerez, Sanlucar, Puerto de Santa Maria, and Trebujena, each landscape is highlighted within the design of the individual bottle labels.
He has a precisely trained palate and a huge hunger for wine making, everything he does is for a reason, nothing not thought about. Direct press, skin contacts or biological ageing under flor in a myriad of vessels, ex manzanilla, amontillado and oloroso casks, amphora and Portuguese talhas.
Collaborating with local vineyard owners, he has established a collection of older vines and makes his wines without taking a conventional approach to the regional styles of winemaking. He makes still whites, orange and red wines with an eye on other regions in Iberia such as Extremadura and the Alentejo in Portugal.
A focus on the local Palomino Fino grape as well as Tintilla, Perruno and Syrah, in addition to these and other traditional varieties, he has also grafted various clones of Arinto, Baga and Encruzado onto old vines that he brought back from Portugal while at the UNIA University, where he wrote his thesis on Portuguese varieties adapted to climate change in Andalusia, completing his Masters in Organic Agriculture and Livestock
As well as buying organic grapes from growers in El Puerto de Santa Maria, Jerez and Trebujena, Raúl is gradually acquiring his own vineyards. Farming a handful of small organic and biodynamic plots in Sanlúcar’s Miraflores he has made a massal selection of old Palomino clones. With some of these grapes he makes wines under flor in manzanilla and amontillado casks and the start of an organic Fino Solera to be released in a few years.
None of these varieties are officially authorised in Cadiz, so he cannot use the DO information on his labels, wines such as Destellos (Palomino and Arinto fermented in amontillado or manzanilla casks) or La Esencia, a blend of Tintilla, Palomino, Pedro Ximenez and Arinto fermented in clay tinajas or Perruno, a variety he uses to make his single-varietal wine La Retahíla. Each of these bottles mirrors Raúl’s commitment to uniqueness, blending tradition with daring experimentalism.
These wines are a beautiful expression of Raul’s vision, what he wants to see from his home province, with each season he creates some of the region's most exciting wines and we are thrilled to be receiving a small allocation of most of these releases.
Look out for some of his bottles on our shelves, by the glass, our online store and a tasting on October 1st.
Buy the wines here!
Raul Moreno Destellos Branco 2023
Raul Moreno La Femme D'argent 2024
Raul Moreno La Pretension 2022
Raúl Moreno Dark 'n' Stormy 2024