Description
Raúl Pérez, La Vizcaína, “La del Vivo”
I expect greatness any time I open a Raúl Pérez wine, but when I recently ordered his “La del Vivo” Bierzo Blanco on a whim while out one night, I was completely unprepared for the sheer profundity contained within. As much as we pride ourselves on meticulously analyzing each selection at SommSelect, there was no thought required here: I was texting his importer within minutes of tasting this Puligny-meets-the-sea stunner, locking up as much as I could get. Spoiler alert—there isn’t enough to go around.
Here’s the quick scoop for those who need to be filled in: Raúl Pérez is among the most respected winemakers of contemporary times, and today’s “La Del Vivo” confirms Godello as one of the world’s most underappreciated white varieties. It’s deeply textured, salty, profoundly mineral, fragrant, and loaded with electrifyingly rich flavors; just a fantastic, blue-chip white wine. We’ve been opening bottles for anyone who’ll listen, and we’re sure you’ll be doing the same!
Raúl Pérez will be familiar to many SommSelect subscribers. His Mencía-based reds have been slam dunks with Northern Rhône Syrah and Cru Beaujolais drinkers and “La Del Vivo” swings the doors of the Pérez fan club wide open for anyone whose deepest love is a bottle of chiseled Burgundy Chardonnay or powerful Assyrtiko. Godello offers a similar marriage of ripe stone and orchard fruit with focused minerality, calling to mind something like great white Burgundy with a citrus twist and a sprinkle of Maldon salt. It’s a small miracle that we get to drink it at all: Godello was close to extinction by the middle of the 20th century, but a small band of passionate winemakers have rescued it from obscurity. It’s frankly becoming something of an obsession around here. Time and again we’ve discovered Godellos that deliver complexity and deliciousness far beyond the price they command. This bottling, though, pushes the variety out of the “great values” category and straight into “great whites of the world.”
There are few regions idolized by sommeliers these days like northwestern Spain, and Raúl Pérez is largely to thank for it. A native of Bierzo, he’s spent the past two decades turning out chiseled, finely-etched wines that belie Spain’s reputation for extracted, alcoholic reds. His influence spreads around the globe as he racks up critical acclaim from the international press and collaborates with fellow superstars like the Rhône’s Alain Graillot and South Africa’s Eben Sadie. With his La Vizcaína de Viños label, though, he returns home—literally, to his hometown, Valtuille de Abajo. This village, where Raúl spent his youth, contains some of the region’s most distinguished sites, and every vineyard is at least 50 years old. I try not to get too romantic about such things, but it’s hard to think that Raúl’s lifelong connection to this place is a direct result of today’s stunning “La Del Vivo.”
The cellar work behind this bottle is a lesson in careful winemaking: 80% of the Godello is pressed directly and fermented in barrel, and the remaining 20% is fermented on the skins for a year in amphora. There’s no natural wine funk here though, just loads of dense fruit and impactful minerality. In the glass, it’s a pale gold with flecks of silver. The nose is flat-out intoxicating—rich and fruit-driven yet deeply savory. Nectarine, pear, and citrus commingle with fennel and an incredible oyster shell minerality soars through it all. The palate is intense yet weightless, with medium-plus driving acidity providing compelling structure. It leans into the minerality, with chamomile and spice notes complicating the orchard fruit and white flower notes. The finish is incredibly long. Served chilled to 45 degrees in Burgundy stems, this would be fantastic with any sort of grilled fish, or even barbecued oysters. Grab as much of this as you can, cause you’ll soon be singing the praises of Godello just as loud as we are!
