One of the most important additions to the portfolio recently has without a doubt been Raul Moreno. When it comes to wine, he's like a modern day renaissance man. There’s not a facet of wine that he hasn’t touched. He left his home in Sevilla as a teenager and moved to London to learn English and landed a job working in a restaurant, initially in the kitchen. It was there where he started learning about wine and developing a passion for it, ultimately moving from the kitchen to the floor and becoming a trained sommelier. From there he went on to compete and win multiple tasting competitions and forming a part of Spain’s national blind tasting team and leading them to several victories as their captain.

After graduating to fine dining restaurants in London and across the US, Raul moved to Australia where he alternated several jobs in restaurants and consulting with studying for two college diplomas. The first Viticulture at Charles Sturt University, Waga Waga in New South Wales, and the second Wine Sciences and Oenology at The Melbourne University, where he ended up becoming a professor teaching Sensory Analysis. All of this while building a family with his wife and two kids.

During his time and involvement with wine there, he was bit by the winemaking bug, eventually moving back to his hometown to be closer to his aging parents, but really we all know he did it to make wine in Jerez. Having studied and tasted wines from all over the world, it was the wines of the Sherry Triangle that brought him home. While one of the most established and historic wine regions in the world, he still felt there was a lot of work to do in the region, both from a viticultural and winemaking standpoint so he took it upon himself to get it done.

With a focus on unfortified wines or “wines of pasture,” as some people like to call them these days, he shocked the world with his initial project Vinos Oceanicos and their wines Las Cepas de Paco, Curro, and Jose Carlos. But after two vintages he broke off and started his personal project as we know it today making wines of incredible precision. He established himself in a winery on the outskirts of Jerez and there began experimenting and reinventing, sourcing fruit from some of the most attractive plots in the triangle. Working with vineyards from Jerez, Sanlucar, Puerto de Santa Maria, and Trebujena, each landscape is represented on the corresponding label.

As far as the winemaking goes, there’s definitely a focus on Palomino Fino, direct press, skin fermented or aged biologically under flor in all types of vessels from manzanilla barrels to amontillado, oloroso, and even cognac, as well as Portuguese talhas where he also consults on a few projects. Did I mention his wife is Brazilian and he speaks perfect Portuguese as well as 4 or 5 more languages?!?!?! Every technique used super intentionally depending on grape variety, soil composition, vinification, etc. There’s a reason for everything and nothing is random. He’s even working with grape varieties like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that might even transport you to Burgundy if you closed your eyes.

We were lucky enough to be there for a visit from Eric Asimov and I think one of his main takeaways was that regardless of the grape variety, the distinctive terroir of the Sherry Triangle always seemed to dominate which says a lot about the unique character and influence of the region. To quote him exactly, “Mr. Moreno is thoroughly experimental and seemingly never shirks a challenge. He makes an excellent perruno, from an old white grape, aged in traditional chestnut barrels, a refreshing, saline clareté, a dark rosé of red and white grapes, and a fresh, juicy tintilla. But he also makes a pinot noir and a chardonnay that both taste like Jerez wines.” Pretty on point if you ask us but why not taste for yourself?