Raul Moreno La Femme D'Argent 2024

Fruity nose, strawberry, smoky notes, clove. On the palate tapenade, good structure and a saline finish. Energetic.

Country: Spain Region: Cadiz  Grapes: Palomino, Syrah
ABV: 13.5%

Raúl Moreno Yagüe is an innovative Cádiz winemaker exploring the region's traditional grape, particularly Palomino and other rare varieties, through distinctive, small-scale wines that combine local heritage with experimentation. He's a highly experienced international sommelier, educator, viticulturist and winemaker who has spent decades accumulating experience around the world and has brought that knowledge back to Jerez, where he's applying it to old vines and traditional Andalusian varieties in unconventional ways.

Raúl Moreno’s approach is quite unusual for the Jerez region. Rather than concentrating exclusively on traditional fortified Sherry, he works with unfortified "vinos de pasto", old local varieties and unusual winemaking techniques. His wines can involve skin fermentation, amphora, flor ageing and used Manzanilla and Amontillado barrels, as well as varieties and techniques inspired by his international experience.

The La Femme is  compromised of Palomino 60% Syrah 40% from two sites in Cadiz. The Palomino is from the world famous Miraflores vineyard in Sanlúcar de Barrameda and the Syrah is from Carrascal in Jerez de la Frontera, both have the white chalky albariza soil; this absorbs the winter rain and traps moisture for the vines during hot summers.

The grapes are vinified separately with the Palomino is whole bunch pressed into 500L old sherry barrels where it is fermented in cask and is aged for 10 months under flor.

The Syrah is traditionally foot trodden, fermented, with a light maceration for 3 weeks. It is aged in barrels with ullage, also for 10 months. 

The wines are blended together in tank and left for 3 months before bottling.