Raul Moreno Pretension

Raúl Moreno, a self-described 'post-natural' winemaker based outside Jerez, approaches Andalusia's sherry-making heritage with disruptive precision rather than fortification. La Pretensión is a skin-contact (but not classically 'orange') Muscat of Alexandria grown on sandy soils in Pago Balbaina, aged in used Cognac barrels. Aromatic and intense, with stone fruit, orange peel, marmalade and kumquat notes, Raúl's winemaking is built to tame the variety's usually heady florals into something more textured and saline, drinking almost like an Alsatian white.

• Region: Pago Balbaina, Jerez, Andalusia, Spain
• Grapes: Moscatel de Alejandría (Muscat of Alexandria)
• Vintage: 2022
• Style: Orange / Skin-contact aromatic white

Goes well with: Spiced dishes, Asian cuisine, soft cheeses, as a contemplative aperitivo.