Mencia's European home in in the Bierzo D.O. in the northwestern Spain region of Galicia but it is also quite at home in Oregon in the Columbia Gorge. I've tasted a lot of Mencia from Bierzo over the last few years from many of the region's greatest producers. I have to say that I think the 2023 Sacred Shore Mencia competes with the best of its Galician counterparts. The nose is really complex with smokey minerals, baking spices, black pepper, sage, blackberry and floral notes. The meaty palate is equally compelling with flavors that reprise the aromatic profile in a medium-full-bodied format without coming across as being heavy. As satisfying and delicious as this is now, I can't wait to see how it develops in the cellar over the next seven to ten years. Enjoy with anything porky, poultry, game birds, lamb, beef, sausages and casseroles.
