Raúl Pérez

Raúl Pérez Pereira was born in 1972 in Valtuille de Abajo, a village located in the Bierzo region of northwest Spain. His family has grown grapes in this area since 1752, and he began his winemaking career at the family estate, Castro Ventosa, in the early 1990s. In 2003, he established his own label, Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez, to focus on site-specific wines and experimental methods. In addition to his primary label, he is a consultant for his family's winery and participates in numerous collaborative projects across various Spanish regions and international locations.

The estate manages a collection of small, fragmented parcels in and around Valtuille de Abajo, where soils consist of clay and slate at varying altitudes. Winemaking centers on old-vine Mencía and Godello, with many vineyards featuring vines over a century old. Pérez follows a philosophy of minimal intervention, utilizing whole-cluster fermentation in large open-top wooden vats and avoiding temperature control or sulfur additives during aging. His red wines typically undergo long maceration periods that sometimes extend to several months, followed by aging in neutral French oak barrels or large foudres to preserve the primary fruit and mineral characteristics.

The producer is best known for the Ultreia series, which includes regional blends and single-vineyard expressions such as Ultreia de Valtuille and Ultreia Saint Jacques. He also produces the La Vizcaína line, which focuses on the distinct hill orientations and terroirs of his home village. His work has received international recognition, including being named winemaker of the year by publications such as Der Feinschmecker and Bettane+Desseauve. Beyond his own production, he has influenced a new generation of Spanish viticulturists and contributed to the revival of traditional and rare grape varieties like Bastardo and Doña Blanca.