The most exciting new releases we’ve seen from Spain in the past 12 months? Yep. Vinos Oceanicos is amazing. Wines made in sherry country from old, organic vines, in locally made amphora, with no additions at all – good on paper, better in the glass.
This is the winemaking project of Raul Moreno Yague, Sevillano by birth, former Sommelier Of The Year (The Age Good Food, 2017) and a journeyman wine guy who wanders the earth accumulating knowledge while working at the cutting edge of avant garde wine.
Attracted to the wines and older vines of Sanlucar de Barrameda, Puerto de Santa Maria, Jerez and Rota, Raul established Vinos Oceanicos in 2017 with stellar releases of textural whites, orange wines and light, fresh reds that seem to defy the regional staples that typically focus on sherry making and often lacklustre table wines.
Raul was persistent with local vineyard owners and has managed to eke out a collection of older vines that contribute to this project. Local white and red varieties are the mainstays. Grapes undergo various winemaking approaches that include skin fermentation, fermentation in locally-made amphora, maturation under flor yeast (like sherry and Jura wine) with a period of maturation in used manzanilla and amontillado barrels. The resulting wines are striking, different, excellent. Both red and white (and orange) are zinging with minerality, textural and beautiful saline freshness. Psssttt there's also a wildly good rose which won't last long if you ask us. Just saying...
This is such a unique project and one that is undertaken with utmost care and excitement for what results. The wines are fascinating for their personalities while also managing to be thirst-quenching, vibrant and wildly delicious. Whoowee, they sure do thrill us.