Great News....Mencia in Calif

Very interesting article by TedReiger:
LodiMencia
on Ron Silva's Mencia project at his SilvaSpoons vnyd in Lodi.
MattRorick gets grapes from SilvaSpoons and I hope he'll be able to try his hand at Mencia. It would, undoubtedly, be a world-class Mencia.
The planting of these kinds of varieties in Lodi is very exciting and a no-brainer for Lodi. Things are looking up in Lodi. I need to get back there for a visit again.
Tom

[David M. Bueker]

I have never had a Mencia that I wanted to bother to drink again.

I, on the other hand, am a big Mencia fan.
But my impressions of Lodi climate/topography aren't very similar to my impressions of Ribeira Sacra, where the best Mencias I've had are from, so will wait and see.

I, on the other hand, am a big Mencia fan.
But my impressions of Lodi climate/topography aren't very similar to my impressions of Ribeira Sacra, where the best Mencias I've had are from, so will wait and see.

Awwwww, Dale....don't be a spoil-sport. We know that the World's greatest
Mencias will be coming from Lodi !!
Tom

[David M. Bueker]

At least if you are writing the notes.

At least if you are writing the notes.

Hey, David...I'm a LosAlamos guy...we make stuff up. I could probably write
up a plausible TN w/o even tasting the wine !!
Tom

[David M. Bueker]

Go for it!

Eeeer world class Mencia from Calif? Doubt it matey.

[Jenise]

I, on the other hand, am a big Mencia fan.

I've had two. A young one that was just 'eh', would never seek out. I've ignored the grape since. Then in the past year we tasted, blind, a "mystery wine" at a wine store. Loved it, and struggled to figure out what it was. I went with 07 Calif Pinot Noir, as it was very big and lusty like very warm vintage California wines, but very red fruited. I might have guessed pinot-syrah blend if such a thing existed. It was an 06 Spanish Mencia. Done like that, the grape has a place in my world.

IMO Mencia can produce wines of real distinction in the Atlantic influenced climate of NW Spain and N Portugal, where it is called Jaen. The best I have had were from Bierzo, in particular the entry level Ultreia St.Jacques from Raul Perez and more prestigious Corullon from Palacios, but also some good ones from Valdeorras and one from Dão. I find a quasi-N.Rhône type charm with added warmth. I have never had a wine from Ribeira Sacra which is a void to be filled ASAP.

As always with Spain, the greatest difficulty in buying without reliable recommendation for a specific wine is the risk of clumsy oak treatment. I have have stopped going for Pétalos from Palacios for that reason. Some top cuvées now easily exceed €100.

Characterful wine comes with the co-incidence of place, grape and the person to bring the best out of the first two and Mencia seems to found the right place, or is it the other way round? I'm not saying that a right place cannot be found for Mencia in an area as large as California with the Pacific playing a similar role to the Atlantic but its going to be difficult and need a lot of trial and error. Isn't Lodi a bit too continental?

Same with Nerello Mascalese, Petite Arvine, Savagnin, Fer Servadou, Mondeuse, Aglianico................

We have some decent Mencia up here in BC, Jenise. The Ribeira Sacra Finca Cuarta and the Dominio de los Cerezos are both very nice (the latter at $38 should be!)