2007 Prieto Picudo

Perhaps the most unique (and difficult to describe) of the Raul Perez wines is the 2007 Prieto Picudo sourced from 100-year-old vines and aged for 17 months in French oak. Opaque purple-colored, it has a mind-boggling, sexy bouquet of mineral, truffle, incense, kinky wild blackberry, and black raspberry, Firm on the palate, it is already complex, with silky-textured black fruits, succulent flavors, and a 60-second finish. There is no track record of how it might evolve but its impeccable balance suggests that 6-8 years (or longer) is well within reason. The extraordinary wines of Raul Perez must be tasted to be believed. Words simply cannot do them justice. The problem is that they are produced in minuscule quantities. Importer: Patrick Mata and Alberto Orte, Ole Imports, New Rochelle, NY; tel. (914) 740-4724