Mencìa
Pronunciation: Mayn thee ahWhere it's Grown: Well, this one is fairly staightforward, as it is only grown in Spain. Even in Spain it is very localized. Mencìa is isolated to the Northwest of Spain, in the regions of Bierzo and Valdeorras.
One of the great joys of wine is the discovery of the unique indigenous varietals like this, and then seeing them succeed so very well.
The most quality-driven area is Bierzo, with its relatively high elevation mountain vineyards with mostly old vine plantings. The rocky chalk soil is mixed with red clay. Vineyards benefit from being on the Eastern side of the mountain range, which reduces the rain coming in from the Atlantic. The vineyards rise to as much as 2300 feet above sea level, and they are some of the steepest and most difficult to work in the world! High quality wine making is a relatively new thing in Bierzo, but they have some great wine families working hard to make Mencia as good as it can be.
What to expect: Many people have proposed that Mencìa is actually Cabernet Franc, but it is not. It does carry an herbal character and a red fruit focus, which are both akin to Cabernet Franc, but there is more to the grape. This grape is found in medium to medium plus weight, with some drinking well young and others needing several years to develop.
Expect to find red cherry, ripe raspberry, blackberry, and plum for fruits, and a dusty dose of texture from tannin. Most of the wines will see oak aging which adds a little baking spice and some vanilla or caramel to the mix.
Plan to have roasted meats as it works very well to soften the wine a bit. It will work very well with seasonings of aromatic herbs as well. Slightly salty foods are a plus but stay away from peppery spice.
