Something New for Me - Mencia

Thousands of grape varietals are made into wines around the world. So for we eonophiles its just work, work, work to try as many as possible.

Friend Ashley, proprietor of Cork & Cracker in Indy, recently recommended a Spanish Mencia. The grape isn't widely known, I've learned that through a little research. It's grown in Spain in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. It dates back centuries.

It is an aromatic wine. The bottle I bought at Cork & Cracker, was just $9.99 and a good value bottle. It has a nice nose, it's very inky dark, and has a pleasant deep red fruit flavor .. very light actually. I like it. You can idenfity some of the oak used in this particular bottling from La Mano.

I enjoyed it with some chili I made a few weeks ago and had frozen. It was one of those wines that fall into a very broad category for me - not special, but good easy to drink Wednesday night wine. And very affordable, a trait not to be overlooked.

I'm anxious to try other Mencia wines at perhaps slightly higher price points to get a better feel for this grape. I liked it and would recommend it to friends who want to try new and affordable wines.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com