Description
The Vineyard
Ron Silva of the Silvaspoons Vineyard has been championing Iberian varieties for decades, with 21 varieties planted, including the first known planting of Mencía in California. Just one acre was planted in 2014 with clones originating from Bierzo, Spain. The vineyard is located North of Lodi and South of Sacramento in the Alta Mesa AVA, which sports the name “high table” because its hills rise higher than the flat areas around Lodi. Soils here are alluvial clay and gravel deposits left by the Consumnes and the American Rivers. It is one of the warmest appellations in Lodi making for more robust color and structure in the wine.
The Wine
The Mencía was hand-harvested on September 2nd, the grapes were crushed by foot, and fermented 100% whole cluster with native yeast, then basket pressed and aged in five neutral oak barrels for nine months. 132 cases produced. 12.3% abv
Mencía is a very dark, aromatic grape from northwest Spain: Bierzo, Galicia, and Ribeira Sacra, also grown in Portugal as Jaen. I love Mencía wines that express their exotic floral aromatics, the full bodied silky tannin and soft acidity, with red fruit character and bright peppery notes.
