Muscat grape, El Puerto de Santa María, cognac barrels, and ageing under flor. Quite an original combination, wouldn't you agree? This concept has been devised—how could it be otherwise—by the charismatic Raúl Moreno. Its name: Raúl Moreno La Pretensión. A true statement of intent.
According to the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), pretensión is an ambitious or excessive aspiration. And we can assure you that in this white wine made from Moscatel de Alejandría, there is nothing disproportionate or exaggerated, quite the opposite. Every step and element in the production of Raúl Moreno La Pretensión is precisely measured. The Balbaína vineyard, in El Puerto de Santa María, is where the origins of this dry, mineral white wine can be traced, with a pronounced salinity that comes from the white albariza soils that predominate in this region. Thanks to these soils, which act like a sponge, the vines can withstand the long, dry summers, where the harvest usually begins early at the end of August. This concern about overripening, also caused by the sun's rays reflecting off these white soils onto the grapes, means that production starts very early, especially considering that Raúl Moreno cultivates everything organically.
Raúl Moreno La Pretensión is hand-harvested in several passes and brought to the winery, where it is crushed and left to macerate with the skins for several days. This process aims to enhance the grape's varietal aromas. Considering the intense aromatic power of Muscat... imagine the spectacle! After this period, Raúl Moreno La Pretensión ferments with native yeasts with part of the skins and stems while gentle extractions are performed with pigeages. Finally, Raúl Moreno La Pretensión is pressed and transferred to old 350-litre cognac barrels. One part will rest under flor; the other will undergo reductive ageing, with the ullage topped up weekly. No batonnage or filtration. Raúl Moreno La Pretensión is bottled directly.
After spending half his life training as an oenologist and sommelier around the world, Raúl Moreno returns home with a clear vision: to leave no one indifferent with his wines. And with Raúl Moreno La Pretensión, he has achieved this in spades.