*Jose Antonio García Unculin Mencía*

Description

Mencía calls its home in northwestern Spain in the region of Galicia, in Bierzo, an appellation exclusively for this varietal. Mencía is a varietal that has the capability (aged vines) to age like fine wine and grows in complexity and intensity. Jose Garcia has 29 parcels that he works with in Valtuille de Abajo in the heart of Bierzo. His youngest vines are 80 years in age and the oldest are 120. He also owns several hectares in the region of Corullon, alongside famed Spanish producer Alvaro Palacios. The topography of Valtuille is mostly sloped land, and the soil is varied within this area. Bierzo has adopted a classification system for its wine like Burgundy has established. There are now regional, village, and single-vineyard classifications to identify their varied terroir. The grapes for this specific wine come from the Grand Cru areas of Valtuille de Aajo. Whole bunches are hand-picked, leaving stems on 30% of the bunches. The remaining 70% of the grapes are de-stemmed by hand and left intact. Left to macerate for 48 hours, fermentation was made spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Four months of ageing on its lees and the wine is left to age in foudres for eight months. This wine has a vibrancy on the palate with notes of cranberry, pink peppercorns and sour cherry. Slightly earthy with firm tannins and supple acidity. Savoury and slightly dusty.

Pairing

Beef kabobs, meat lasagna, bacon and gouda flatbread.