The Mencia grape, grown in Spain primarily, yields fresh early drinking wines. They say it is a fragrant varietal that mimics Cabernet Franc, which I love. This particular wine is indeed aromatic, but not in a very fruity way, it kinda stinks to be honest. I cannot pinpoint the aroma, but it smells like wet socks. I fear for the worst- TCA, which is a cork taint. It is harmless, theoretically. The wine itself is decent, showing off red fruits including raspberry, red currants and some slate. The wine is steely, as in no oak. It has a nice minerality and shows the red fruit streak throughout. It is easy drinking and not built for the long haul. What it lacks in tannic structure, it makes up for freshness. The acidity is but a hint. This wine will pair nicely with pizza, grilled lamb chops with mint sauce, or even Chorizo. I am going 88 points on this corked wine and hope you all get a better example. For $13, it is a potential steal but for now, 3 stars. Salut….
