# Raúl Moreno "Dark 'N' Stormy" Tintilla (2022)

- **Producer:** Raúl Moreno
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Tintilla
- **Region:** Andalucía, Spain
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €28
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 14–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** plum, blackcurrant, blackberry, black pepper, charred wood, smoke, toast, dried fig, leather, chocolate

## About this wine

Raúl Moreno is a Seville-born former Michelin-starred chef and Advanced Sommelier who studied oenology in Australia and completed over 30 harvests globally. Returning to Andalusia, he produces unfortified table wines from historic Sherry terroirs. Grown on Albariza de Barajuelas chalk soils in Cádiz, this micro-cuvée spotlights Tintilla, a rare native red grape variety, crafting a style that bridges southern Spain and northern Portugal.

## Interesting facts

- Winemaker Raúl Moreno was a Michelin-starred chef under Marco Pierre White before studying viticulture.
- Grapes are grown on Albariza Barajuelas, the famous laminated chalk soil traditionally reserved for Sherry.
- Uses an aggressive foot-stomping extraction technique inspired by Vintage Port production.
- Fermentation tanks are covered with plexiglass sheets to maintain humidity during maceration.

## Food pairing

This medium-plus bodied red wine with vibrant acidity and structured fine tannins pairs effortlessly with rich, savory meats and earthy dishes. The wine's Atlantic freshness cuts through the rich fats of duck and pork, while the firm tannic structure binds seamlessly with the proteins of lamb and cured Iberian ham.

## Wine making process

Organically and biodynamically farmed high-density vines yield hand-harvested grapes. The winemaking begins with an intensive pre-fermentation extraction, foot-stomping the grapes for 5 to 7 hours in open tanks. Spontaneous alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeast takes place under food-grade plexiglass covers to retain humidity. After 14 days of total skin contact, the wine ages for 8 months in second- and third-fill French oak barrels, followed by 1 month resting in stainless steel before bottling unfined, unfiltered, and with low sulfites.