Rare Raul Perez: 2013 Rara Avis
2013 Raul Perez Rara Avis Prieto Picudo
This is the wine you bring to stump the smartest sommelier in the room. Raul Perez is widely considered one of the most visionary winemakers on the planet. While he is famous for elevating the Mencia grape in Bierzo to world-class status, he also has a habit of rescuing forgotten, hyper-local varieties. Rara Avis translates to rare bird in Latin, and this bottle is exactly that. It is crafted from Prieto Picudo, a fiercely obscure, dark-skinned grape native to the León region. In the wrong hand…
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The Master Winemaker: Crafted by Raul Perez, globally recognized as one of Spain's most influential and gifted vintners.
A Rare Bird: A micro-production project focused entirely on reviving a forgotten, difficult-to-farm grape variety.
Retail
$70.00
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$44.00
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Tasting notes
Aroma
Deep, wild, and incredibly savory. It opens with dark blackberry, crushed black pepper, and scorched earth. As it breathes, it reveals beautiful mature notes of dried cured meat, balsamic, and black tea.
Palate
Dense but surprisingly electric. The signature natural acidity of the Prieto Picudo grape has preserved the wine beautifully, keeping the palate incredibly fresh. Flavors of dark plum, dried herbs, and iron are framed by powdery, fully resolved tannins. It finishes with a long, spicy mineral kick that practically demands roasted lamb or game meats.
Red Wine Body Profile
Light
Bold
Body Profile
Structured
65/100 Intensity
Light
Bold
65.0/100
Feather-light
Delicate
Lifted
Structured
Deep
Grapes
100% Prieto Picudo
ABV
13.5%
Serving
55–60°F
Window
2025–2045
In Detail
The obscure Prieto Picudo grape crafted by Spain's greatest winemaker
This is the wine you bring to stump the smartest sommelier in the room.
Raul Perez is widely considered one of the most visionary winemakers on the planet. While he is famous for elevating the Mencia grape in Bierzo to world-class status, he also has a habit of rescuing forgotten, hyper-local varieties. Rara Avis translates to rare bird in Latin, and this bottle is exactly that.
It is crafted from Prieto Picudo, a fiercely obscure, dark-skinned grape native to the León region. In the wrong hands, this grape is aggressively tannic and intensely acidic. But Raul Perez has a supernatural touch. He managed to tame the beast, and then let it sleep in the cellar for over a decade. Today, the 2013 vintage has transformed into an elegant, deeply savory masterpiece.
Finding any back-vintage from Raul Perez is a massive challenge. Finding a perfectly aged bottle of his rarest experimental project is a genuine collector milestone.
