Case of La Castidad 2020

Raúl Moreno La Castidad 2020 | VT Cádiz, Pago Carrascal, Jerez

Producer: Raúl Moreno Region: Pago Carrascal, Marco de Jerez, Andalusia, Spain Grape Variety: Pinot Noir (100%) Vessel: Uncoated red clay amphora by potter Carles Llarch

The Vibe Pinot Noir in Jerez. The reaction is predictable — and special at the same time reflecting conflicting "chastidy" or La Castidad namesake. Carrascal is one of the oldest pagos in Marco de Jerez and one of the farthest from the sea, with some of the highest albariza concentrations in the region. The same chalk that builds structure into Palomino does the same for Pinot Noir — it just took someone willing to ignore the rulebook to find out. Raúl Moreno's approach is experimental yet rooted in classic local techniques: spontaneous fermentation, skin maceration, and the use of amphora and old barrels.  La Castidad is named for a chapter in his own life. Make of that what you will.

The Taste Tart cherry, blood plum, raspberry, strawberry, and licorice — pure and transparent on the nose. Ethereal and structured on the palate, with a ferrous-clay character and a spiced, mineral tension driven by the albariza limestone beneath. The uncoated clay amphora doesn't add flavour so much as it refines — micro-oxygenation without the tannin transfer of wood, preserving the fruit's nerve while softening its edges. There is no oak here, no gloss. Just Pinot Noir and chalk.

The Story Raúl harvests the grapes by hand in multiple passes, then runs micro-vinifications in open-top tanks with varying percentages of whole clusters and spontaneous fermentation, followed by two weeks of post-fermentative maceration. The wine then ages in uncoated red clay amphora handmade by Catalan potter Carles Llarch — vessels that breathe, but don't speak. The 20-hectare Carrascal estate is American-owned and planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 2017 — grapes Raúl never planned to work with until he tasted what the albariza soils were doing to them. Once he did, the case was closed.

Best Enjoyed With Serve at 14–15°C. Duck breast, mushroom risotto, aged Manchego, or charcuterie. The limestone minerality and fine tannins make it more food-flexible than the variety's reputation suggests at this weight.

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