Mencía is a grape from Spain where it is also mainly found today in the region of Galicia in appellations like Bierzo, Valdeorras and Ribeira Sacra. Except for Spain, the other place where Mencía is planted is Portugal where it is called Jaen.

Mencía is a thick skinned grape which used to produce light, pale and young wines and was prone to high yields, a side effect of phylloxera. In recent years however, Mencía has made a comeback after a couple of producers have focused on cultivating old vines planted on high altitude hillsides rich in schist soils which are less fertile.

Today Mencía produces wines which are acidic, high in tannins, earthy, with dark fruit and herb notes. If you like Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir you might like Mencía wines.

Mencía regions

In Spain, Mencía wines are mainly grown in Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras in Galicia, and Bierzo which is an appellation in the Castilla y Leon region right next to Galicia.