Mencia from Bierzo, Spain

Purchase Price: $12.99

James Suckling 90, ElsBob 90

ABV 13.0%

A deep garnet color with aromas of black fruits, plum, and spice. Medium-full body, medium acidity, tannic with a hint of black pepper and slate. Will pair well with red meat and spicy vegetable dishes.

An excellent table wine at a great price. I’ve seen this wine listed as low as $11—well worth picking up a few bottles at that price. Drink now. Cheers.

Trivia: Bierzo is Spanish DOP wine region in northwest Spain that has grown grapes since the time of the Greeks and Romans, but it was the monks of the Middle Ages who brought the area viticulture into prominence. Currently the DOP has 1030 growers and 74 wineries, covering less than 6000 acres, producing in aggregate about 7 million bottles of wine each year.