Raul Perez 2021 Bierzo Tinto Ultreia St. Jacques

And then there’s little gem, which is a real charmer: "The 2021 Ultreia 'St. Jacques' bottling from Raúl Pérez is yet another excellent wine from these very old vines. The wine is a Mencía-dominated field blend made from ancient vineyards, planted between 1900 and 1940, so even the “young vines” here are more than eighty years of age! The wine is made with a high percentage of whole clusters and aged in a mix of various-sized, old oak casks and puncheons, as well as some cement tanks. The 2021 St. Jacques comes in at 13.5 percent octane and delivers a refined aromatic constellation of cassis, pomegranate, tree bark, espresso, a lovely base of dark soil tones, discreet Mencía botanicals and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, complex and full-bodied, with impeccable focus and balance, a fine core of black fruit, excellent soil undertow and grip, buried tannins and a long, poised and classy finish. This is certainly approachable today, but will be even better if the tannins are allowed at least a handful of years to soften up further. It is an excellent and very elegant vintage for this bottling! 2024-2075. (Mar/Apr 2024)” - 94 points John Gilman, View From the Cellar / 93 Wine Advocate