葡萄详情

Mencia is a red-wine grape native to the northwest of Spain. It is most commonly associated with the red wines of Bierzo, which were once light and astringent but, since the discovery of low-yielding vines planted on poor soils high on the hills, have become more intense and concentrated, attracting the attention of the wine-drinking world. Mencia wines tend to exhibit earthy, vegetal characters with berry nuances and stony minerality.

The variety, with its thick-skinned, violet-blue grapes, was once thought to be related to Cabernet Franc. Modern DNA testing has disproved this theory, however, but has uncovered that it is in fact genetically identical to Portugal's Jaen. This has led to some uncertainty as to the origin of the variety: while most signs point to Bierzo as Mencia's home, it could well have been brought there from Dao in Portugal.

Mencia's role as a simple, regional grape variety used to make table wines has been challenged in recent years following the attention of famous Spanish producer Alvaro Palacios, one of the pioneers of the Priorat region in Catalonia. Old vines and Bierzo's dramatic, high-altitude terroir have proved useful for the quality of the wines, helped along by improved viticultural methods and extra vigilance in the winery. Wines today are more likely to have a bright complexion with a vivid maroon color, fresh acidity and tannins, and dark-fruit flavors with a herbal dimension of mint or thyme.

Mencia is quite fussy in the vineyard, and has a tendency toward low yields, making it a challenging prospect for growers and winemakers. It is susceptible to botrytis and mildew, and can lose its characteristic acidity quickly if not harvested promptly. Mencia's high alcohol and high acidity must be kept in check to retain the wine's balance. Oak is used sparingly, as it can overwhelm Mencia's rather delicate flavor profile. Some producers are experimenting with carbonic maceration to accentuate the variety's fruit characteristics and reduce tannins.

Outside of Bierzo, Mencia is found in several other northwestern Spain DOs, among them Valdeorras, Monterrei and Ribeira Sacra.

Synonyms include: Jaen.

Food matches for Mencia include:

• Sirloin of Ibérico pork
• Blackened chicken with cajun spices
• Grilled duck with walnut pesto

Enjoy this video all about Mencia...