Restock your cellar with these whites

Mencia red wine variety

More than twenty of the most innovative winemakers in Australia are now using Mencia.

Mencia is a red wine variety from the north western corner of Spain. In particular in the DOC regions of Bierzo, Ribiera Sacra and Valdeorras. See this Iberian wine map to learn about Spanish wine regions

Iberian varieties used in Australia

These varieties, now used in Australia, all originated in Spain or Portugal

You can learn about the regions of Spain and Portugal with this digital map

Learn about Iberian wine regions with this map

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Mencia became popular outside its native regions just a few years ago. Most wines are juicy and aromatic, but the Mencia produced in the Bierzo region in the province of Leon are full-bodied and rich wines. The harsh terroir of Bierzo where the yields are low makes the difference.

This digital map of the Iberian Peninsula will help you sus out the wine regions where Mencia is grown.

In Portugal this variety is known as Jaen or Jaen de Dao.

The popular emergence of this variety is an interesting case study of the interaction of modern journalism and obscure varieties.

For decades Mencia was known only by a few locals. Most of the wine was unremarkable red or rose wines, consumed locally. Just a few people knew that in the right conditions it could make superb wine. Then the cat got out of the bag. A few influential journos wrote the variety up and the electronic world lit up full of praise.

Major retailers in the UK and USA see demand rising and send buyers to get some of the latest sensation. The limited supply of the good stuff quickly disappears but there is still plenty of the ordinary wine which complies with the DOC requirements, or at least can be represented as the real thing.

The second wave of journalists and their readers try one or two examples of the mediocre stuff then conclude that the whole thing is a beat up.

The moral of the story is that sometimes you need to look at the broader context of an emerging variety.

In my case the first Mencia I tried, from Bierzo, was an absolute stunner of a wine. The next few cheaper examples were good but nothing special. I realised what was happening and kept trying more. My expectations are now more modest, but I still come across a few great Mencia wines from Spain and Portugal now a few from Australia.

Mencia wine with What Varietal is That Book

Red Wine varieties comonly used in the Galicia region of Spain.

Although Mencia is the last wine on the list of varieties on this poster it is the best known of the Galician varieties listed.

Mencia in Australia

The first vintage of Mencia grapes at Bassham Wines

Mencia has only been in Australia for a few years. The pioneer of the variety was Olivers Taranga in McLaren Vale. They first produced a Mencia rose in 2014, and more recently they are making a dry red.

It features in the book Rare Ozzies, which includes comments about Mencia from winemakers Peter Leske of La Linea and Shane Mead of Quartz Hill

The list below shows that this exciting variety is gaining a foothold in Australia.

Angoves Winery Riverland
Bassham Wines Riverland
Centennial Vineyards Southern Highlands
Cherabino Margaret River
CRFT Adelaide Hills
D'Arenberg McLaren Vale
Delatite Winery Upper Goulburn
Fernfield Eden Vally
Hidden Creek Granite Belt
Ivybrook Farm McLaren Vale
La Linea Adelaide Hills
Mac Forbes Wines Yarra Valley
Matriarch and Rogue Clare Valley
Ministry of Clouds McLaren Vale
Nepenthe Adelaide Hills
Nikola Estate Swan Valley
Olivers Taranga McLaren Vale
Quartz Hill Wines Pyrenees
Ridgemill Estate Granite Belt
Serrena Que Estate Granite Belt
Somos McLaren Vale
Swinny Frankland River
Varney Wines McLaren Vale
Wangolina Mount Benson
Whistling Kite Wines Riverland
Wines By Farquhar Barossa Valley
Word of Mouth Wines Orange

Last Update 6 Dec 2024

At the 2024 Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show seven Mencia wines were judged. Two gold, one silver and two bronze medals were awarded. The Gold medals went to Olivers Taranga for their 2024 Mencia and Ministry of Clouds for their 2023 Mencia. Both of these wines were from McLaren Vale.

Mencia Varietal. Quick facts about this Spanish red wine variety

Mencia Variety. Quick facts

The taste of Mencia

A description of the wines made from the Spanish wine variety Mencia.

A particularly apt description of the Mencia grape variety

At its best Mencia can be heaven in a glass. There are the firm tannins of a good Pinot Noir but with all the delicious mid-palate juicy fruit flavours of Tempranillo, Gamay or Cabernet Franc. Look for red fruit flavours, with a herbal bouquet aromas and earthy, spicy even smoke undertones.

Some wines from this variety may be simple cafe styles for everyday drinking but carefully made Mencia from low yielding vines matches it with the best from the classic varieties.

Try Mencia with anything from a simple dish of roasted Mediterranean vegetables to rich stews and braises, maybe oxtail or lamb shanks. If you'd like to serve Mencia with charcuterie perhaps you should include some black olive tapenade and some black pudding.

For more food suggestions see Evan Goldstein's Daring Pairing's Book