Tucked away in the mountains of Spain's wild North West, hard up against the topmost corner of Portugal, Monterrei is one of Iberia's tiniest, and least known wine producing regions. Mencia is the grape native to that rugged part of the world, and, as far as we're aware, found nowhere else. The wine it produces is appropriately wild and brambly, dark and intense, but full of bright, fresh fruit that pulls it up just this side of brooding. A walk on the wild side with a spring in its step.
Grapes are harvested by hand and immediately transported to the winery where they are processed. Reds are macerated on their skins and then fermented at 26 degrees. Malolactic fermentation takes place and then the wine is put into oak barrels. The 2010 Mencia was aged for 3 months in French oak.
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From Galicia in western Spain, this is a fresh, berry-flavoured red wine with sweet raspberry and cherry fruit, as well as some spicy warmth and a moreishly tangy finish.
