Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The varietal and herbal 2017 Doña Mencía de los Andes was produced with grapes from a bush vineyard planted in Los Chacayes on very rocky soils at 1,100 meters in altitude. It fermented with 50% full clusters and indigenous yeasts in 225-liter oak barrels for 28 days and matured in third and fourth use barriques for 18 months followed by a further 20 months in bottle. It has a medium-bodied palate, very fine tannins and great balance. It could be confused with a cooler-climate Mencía with moderate alcohol and very good freshness. This is impressive.
Primarily found in the Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras regions of Spain and in the Dão of Portugal (where it is called Jaen), Mencia is an early ripening, low acid grape that can produce wines of great concentration, complexity and ageability. And yet Mencia once suffered from a poor reputation and deemed capable of producing simple and light red wines. Post-phylloxera growers would grow this variety on low, fertile plains, which produced high yields and uncomplicated finished wines. Somm Secret—The recent rediscovery of the ancient, abandoned vines planted on rugged hillsides of deep schist has unveiled the potential of Mencia and added discredit to its old reputation.
With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity.
This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay also perform well here.