What Mencía tastes like
Red and black fruit, violets, a touch of pepper and slate, lively acidity and fine tannins. It is easy to drink yet has depth, which is why it is often compared with Pinot Noir or the reds of the northern Rhône.
Mencía from Bierzo and the slopes of Ribeira Sacra: fresh, floral reds with red fruit and fine tannins, the Atlantic alternative to Pinot Noir.
Mencía is the red of north-western Spain and a favourite among those who prefer fresh, elegant wines over powerful ones. This selection brings together Mencía from Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras, delivered in 2–4 working days from Marbella, free from €100.
Red and black fruit, violets, a touch of pepper and slate, lively acidity and fine tannins. It is easy to drink yet has depth, which is why it is often compared with Pinot Noir or the reds of the northern Rhône.
In Bierzo, on slate and from old vines, it makes fuller reds with good ageing potential. In Ribeira Sacra it grows on near-vertical terraces above the canyons of the Sil and Miño, harvested by hand in what locals call heroic viticulture: lighter, fresher, mineral reds. In Portugal the same grape is called Jaen.
Slightly cool, at 14–16 °C, so its fruit and floral aromas come through.