Mencía, Silvaspoons Vineyard 2023, NoneSuch Wines

Mencía is best known in northwest Spain, especially Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra, where it makes dark, aromatic reds with bright fruit, floral lift, earthy depth, and a peppery little snap. NoneSuch’s California take keeps that spirit intact, but brings a slightly sunnier frame: ripe black cherry, raspberry, plum skin, violet, cracked pepper, and a savory, almost ferrous edge that keeps the fruit from getting too glossy. It’s medium to full-bodied, with silky tannins, soft acidity, and enough structure to make it feel generous without getting heavy.

This fruit comes from Silvaspoons Vineyard in the Alta Mesa AVA, just north of Lodi and south of Sacramento. Grower Ron Silva has spent decades championing Iberian varieties, with 21 different grapes planted on the property, including what is believed to be California’s first planting of Mencía. That planting is tiny: just one acre, planted in 2014 with clones originally from Bierzo, Spain. Alta Mesa means “high table,” a nod to the area’s slightly elevated hills above the flatter Lodi landscape. The soils are alluvial clay and gravel left by the Cosumnes and American Rivers, and the warm site gives this wine its deeper color, fuller body, and quietly sturdy backbone.

About the Winery

Embracing minimalist winemaking techniques in order to express vineyard terroir fully, the grapes are hand-harvested and foot tread, fermented whole-cluster naturally with native yeasts, and aged in entirely neutral oak barrels.