Spring already!  I haven’t finished my ski trips for the season, and already it is 60 degrees and sunny out!  This year’s long ski trip was to Whistler, British Columbia.  While there, I did drink some Canadian wines from the Okanagan Valley, including Mission Hill’s Syrah, Burrowing Owl’s Cabernet Sauvignon, and Blue Mountain’s Sauvignon Blanc, but since one cannot purchase any wines from British Columbia in our local wine stores, I am not going to write an article about them. Suffice it to say that the wine industry there is in its nascent phase, and should be revisited in 3-5 years.

Instead, I wanted to write about Mencia, which I am seeing more and more of locally, to my delight.  Mencia is a Spanish grape varietal found in Northwestern Spain, the part of Spain that hangs over the top of Portugal, is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, and includes the regions of Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra, and Valdeorras.  Mencia wines used to be rather thin, light-bodied wines, but in recent years, talented winemakers have been producing deliciously complex wines from older vines growing from schist soils on incredibly steep hillsides.

I’ve poured several Mencia wines at the BCBF Wine, Beer and Bourbon Tastings, including using it as the secret wine, because it’s a fantastic food wine, and presents a dichotomy:  it usually smells earthy and rustic, but tastes delicate and elegant.  I also drink about a case each summer of a rosé made from Mencia called Liquid Geography, which should be released soon…

Liquid Geography is a dry rosé wine made from grapes grown on 50+  year old vines in Bierzo.  The wine is fermented in stainless steel vats and sees no oak.  The dominant flavors are strawberries and white pepper, with a mineral finish.  It goes with everything from seafood to pizza.  If you can find it, stock up!  Last year, it was about $10 a bottle.

Don Bernadino’s 4 Generacion Barrica Amandi Ribeira Sacra is one of my go-to Mencias.  At only $25 a bottle, this wine is a find.  Dark garnet in the glass, with red berries, violets, and Indian spices on the nose and palate, with a hint of smoky minerals and white pepper on the finish.  Easily a 90+ point wine.  I hoard these bottles for people who will appreciate it.

I poured Senorio de la Antigua Mencia 2012 as the secret wine at last year’s BCBF Wine, Beer and Bourbon tasting.  Blackberry, plum and smoky balsamic aromas on the nose continue on the palate.  This wine is a fantastic value, coming in under $10 at Wineworks and drinking like a $20 bottle of wine.  Wine Enthusiast rated it 90 Points.  

A really lovely wine that makes a great gift because of its pretty label (I can be shallow, too) is the Descendientes de Jose Palacios – Petalos Del Bierzo 2017.  2017 was a very hot year in Bierzo, causing the harvest to start in August. This wine has almost 10% white grapes, also due to the hotness of the year.  The palate has bright fruit flavors of strawberry, black cherry and blackberry, accented by herb and baking spice notes.  This wine goes especially well with food, including grilled meat, due to its higher acidity. $17 a bottle at Wineworks.

With delicious wines available at all price-points, I highly recommend picking up some Mencia wines.  And, if you see it, a case of Liquid Geography.  Salud!