Limited Addition Mencia 2021

“wood”

Chad and Bree Stock are absolute phenoms. Bree is a Master of Wine (MW), highly versed in the production, chemistry and marketing of wine. Chad is one of the Willamette Valley’s foremost vineyard consultants, raising vineyards from cuttings to full-fledged vines. Limited Addition is their joint project, where they choose fruit from all over the valley to grow sustainably and turn into amazing wines. This wine is Mencia from the Eola Springs vineyard, entirely planted in volcanic Jory soil.

Mencia is originally from northern Spain. It’s a medium-bodied red grape that gives off aromas of spice and fruit. In Chad & Bree’s words, “rose, musk, paprika, chorizo, and sumac aromatics.” This wine is savory, fruity, and heavenly with roast chicken.

I am longing for the day when the Mencia grape takes its place among the other pantheon wine grapes of France, Italy and Spain. To me, Mencia is as dynamic as Pinot Noir, and as capable of power and grace as Syrah. The fact that it combines interesting flavor attributes of both of those grapes is a bonus. Mencia is now growing in California, the Willamette Valley, and the Columbia Gorge. I can’t wait to see more winemakers experiment with it and grow it.