Mencía: the fresh red of Bierzo and Galicia
10 bottles of Mencía, from Bierzo to GaliciaA fresh, easy-drinking red that smells of black cherry, violet and pepper, with a taut frame rather than a big structure: that is what you come to Mencía for. The grape variety grows in north-western Spain, on slate and granite slopes exposed to Atlantic rain.
It is readily compared with Pinot Noir for its finesse, or with Cabernet Franc for its floral, slightly herbaceous note. The cellar follows it mainly in Bierzo, with Michelini i Mufatto and Descendientes de J. Palacios, and in the Galician valleys with Ladeiras do Xil.
Descendientes de J. Palacios - Petalos 2023
A vintage full of energy and vitality, round and juicy at the same time, which makes it a reference in Spain.
Pittacum - Pittacum Barrica DO Bierzo 2020
A Mencía from Bierzo made from very old mountain vines, juicy and floral, refined for eight months in barrel.
Silice Viticultores - Lobeiras 2021
A single-plot Ribeira Sacra, fine and vibrant. Atlantic freshness meets the depth of the Sil.
Ladeiras Do Xil - Valbuxan 2021
A slender Galician red, between wild fruit and mineral freshness.
Michelini i Mufatto - Post Crucifixion 2021
A deep and vibrant Bierzo from old vines, where the Mencía grape precisely expresses the mineral freshness of the Atlantic hillsides.
Michelini i Mufatto - Encrucijada Mencía 2021
A precise and fresh expression of Mencía from Bierzo, combining aromatic finesse and mineral tension.
Michelini i Mufatto - A Merced Mencía 2021
A precise and fresh expression of Mencía from Bierzo, combining fruit, tension and tannic finesse.
Michelini i Mufatto - En el Camino Mencía 2022
A precise and vibrant Mencía de Bierzo, combining fruit purity, freshness and fine texture.
Michelini i Mufatto - Motorpsico 2022
A Bierzo de Mencía full of freshness and energy, driven by vibrant fruit and remarkable drinkability.
Pittacum - Petit Pittacum 2020
A seductive and juicy expression of the Mencía grape
From easy-drinking Bierzo to single-plot wine
The cellar's Mencías, arranged by price per bottle. The higher you go, the older the vine and the more precise the site.
| Wine | Place | Estilo | Price per bottle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorpsico 2022Michelini and Mufatto | Bierzo | Vibrant, very crunchy fruit, the easy-drinking red of the range | 15,80 € by the case of 6 |
| En el Camino 2022Michelini and Mufatto | Bierzo, around Ponferrada | Pure fruit, fine texture, lovely freshness | 19,80 € by the case of 6 |
| Pétalos 2021Descendants of J. Palacios | Bierzo, 40- to 90-year-old vines farmed biodynamically | Round and juicy, aged 10 months in barrel, the benchmark of the appellation | 23,00 € by the case of 6 |
| A Merced 2021Michelini and Mufatto | Bierzo, small high-altitude plots | Tension, fine tannins, precise fruit | 27,80 € by the case of 6 |
| Valbuxan 2021Ladeiras do Xil | Galicia, granodiorite terraces around O Bolo | Mencía blended with Brancellao, Sousón and Garnacha Tintorera, slender and wild | 34,40 € by the case of 6 |
| Encrucijada 2021Michelini and Mufatto | Bierzo, slate and clay-limestone | Aromatic finesse, mineral tension, a wine for ageing | 113,80 € sold individually |
| Post Crucifixion 2021Michelini and Mufatto | Bierzo, old vines on slate and quartz | Deep and vibrant, the estate's most ambitious cuvée | 214,00 € sold individually |
These reds keep for 5 to 10 years. The entry-level cuvées can be drunk now, for their fruit.
Mencía and its cousins
To find out whether you will like Mencía, the simplest way is to start from a grape variety you already love.
| If you like | What it shares with Mencía | What's New |
|---|---|---|
| Pinot Noir | Light colour, red fruit, fine tannins | Mencía is more peppery, darker in fruit, with an earthy grain |
| Cabernet Franc | Floral note and a touch of bell pepper, freshness | Mencía has riper fruit and a less vegetal finish |
| Gamay | An easy-drinking red, served slightly chilled | Single-plot Mencías seek more depth and ageing potential |
| Jaen from Dãosame grape variety, Portuguese name | Genetically identical: it is the same vine | Dão, on granite, gives rounder wines |
| Grenache | Generous fruit, spice | Mencía is fresher, tauter, lower in alcohol |
| Tempranillo | A Spanish red grape variety, cherry and spice | Tempranillo lives on oak and the Castilian plateau, Mencía on the Atlantic |
Bierzo is in Castile and León, but its climate looks towards neighbouring Galicia.
A Mencía for every mood
Six bottles and two leads, depending on the moment and the budget.
Discover the grape variety for under €20
The crunchiest in the range: vibrant fruit, energy, a bottle that empties fast among friends.
Motorpsico 2022, €15.80 a bottle, by the case of 6An everyday red
Slopes around Ponferrada, pure fruit and a fine texture, for everyday meals.
En el Camino 2022, €19.80 a bottle, by the case of 6The Bierzo benchmark
The wine that made the appellation known: old vines farmed biodynamically, round, juicy, full of energy.
Pétalos 2021, €23.00 a bottle, by the case of 6A notch higher in finesse
Small high-altitude plots on slate and quartz, for a taut, precise Mencía with fine tannins.
A Merced 2021, €27.80 a bottle, by the case of 6A Galician blend
Mencía with Brancellao, Sousón and Garnacha Tintorera, on granodiorite terraces.
Valbuxan 2021, €34.40 a bottle, by the case of 6For a special occasion
Old vines, depth and vibrancy: the summit of Michelini i Mufatto, to open for a table that matters.
Post Crucifixion 2021, €214.00 a bottle, sold individuallyExplore Galicia
Ribeira Sacra, Rías Baixas and Albariño: the other Atlantic face of Spain, in red as well as white.
Staying with finesse
If Mencía won you over with its lightness, Pinot Noir is its closest relative in style.
Freshness before power
Mencía can give heavy wines when it is picked too ripe and locked up in new oak. It is the others that interest us: hillside reds, picked early, that keep the tension of the Atlantic climate.
Hence the choice to follow one estate from end to end, Michelini i Mufatto, from the easy-drinking Motorpsico to single-plot wines such as Post Crucifixion. Alongside, Pétalos serves as the yardstick, and Valbuxan is a reminder that in Galicia Mencía readily partners other local grape varieties. To go further, the Spanish range is right next door.
Reading a Bierzo label
Since 2017, the Bierzo appellation has classified its wines by origin, Burgundy-style. Vino de Villa: a village. Vino de Paraje: a lieu-dit. Viña Clasificada and Gran Viña Clasificada: a recognised plot, often of old vines. The more precise the designation, the more the wine speaks of its soil.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What people ask us about Mencía
What is the Mencía grape variety?
It is a red grape from north-western Spain, grown mainly in Bierzo and in Galicia, in Ribeira Sacra, Valdeorras and Monterrei. It gives wines of medium colour, scented with black cherry, violet and pepper, with lively acidity and fine tannins. The best come from old vines on slate.
Does Mencía resemble Pinot Noir?
In finesse, yes: a light colour, delicate tannins, freshness. Mencía is, however, more peppery and darker in fruit, with an earthy note. Many also liken it to Loire Cabernet Franc for its floral side. To compare, open a Mencía alongside a Pinot Noir.
Where is Bierzo?
In the province of León, in Castile and León, on the border with Galicia. It is a basin ringed by mountains, around Ponferrada, whose slate and clay slopes feel the Atlantic influence. The climate is cooler and wetter than on the Castilian plateau, which explains the elegance of its reds.
Are Mencía and Jaen the same grape?
Yes. Genetic analysis has shown that Jaen, planted in the Dão in Portugal, is the same vine as Mencía. Dão wines, grown on granite, are often a little rounder. To take the comparison further, the Portuguese section offers several reds from this region.
What should you serve with a Mencía wine?
Its freshness suits charcuterie, roast pork, poultry, mushrooms and Galician-style octopus. The single-plot cuvées, deeper, stand up to roast lamb or game birds. Just avoid very sweet sauces, which crush its fruit.
At what temperature should you serve Mencía?
Between 14 and 16 °C. An easy-drinking Mencía such as Motorpsico even benefits from being served at 13 °C, lightly chilled. The more complex single-plot wines open up better at 16 °C, in a fairly wide glass. Half an hour in a carafe helps young vintages relax.
How long can you keep a Mencía from Bierzo?
The entry-level cuvées are best drunk within three to four years, while the fruit is to the fore. Old-vine and single-plot wines keep for 5 to 10 years: they then gain notes of undergrowth and a silkier texture. Store them lying down, somewhere cool and away from light.
What budget for a good Mencía?
The grape remains affordable. In our shop, Motorpsico opens the door at €15.80 per bottle, by the case of 6, and Pétalos, the Bierzo benchmark, is €23.00 per bottle, by the case of 6. The single-plot wines from Michelini i Mufatto go up to €113.80 and €214.00 per bottle, sold singly.
Who is behind Pétalos?
Descendientes de J. Palacios, the estate founded in Bierzo by Álvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo Pérez in the late 1990s. They bet on old hillside vines, farmed biodynamically. Pétalos is their entry-level wine. The rest of the family is gathered on the Álvaro Palacios page.