In a lost land in northwestern Spain is where our story begins. Mencía is a variety cultivated since ancient Rome. Its cultivation virtually disappeared during the disaster of the phylloxera epidemic of the late nineteenth century. But some winemakers in the area knew how to keep the vines safe by ignoring to those who said that it was just a bad copy of the Cabernet Franc variety. Recently, some of the most prestigious viticulturists in Spain have been rescuing it from oblivion, such as Mariano García, Álvaro Palacios, Jorge Peique and Raúl Pérez. Mencía strains produce small, compact clusters, with medium or small berries and fairly thick skin. The musts are maroon red and have an intense flavour, with a high sugar content and good acidity, especially in those resulting from less ripe fruits.

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First it was in El Bierzo where Mencía enjoyed its early glory days. But now its success has reached Galicia, where this chameleon variety has exploited all its aromatic and mineral potential. Mencía is growing deep along the Camino de Santiago and pilgrims have been one of the first lucky ones to experience this Galician decline.

It seems that, finally, this variety so despised, is regaining the recognition it deserves. And now, winemakers and consumers around the world are beginning to value it as one of the most promising varieties of the 21st century. Mencía is in the lips of international Gurus such as Robert Parker, Jancis Robinson, Tim Atkin or Jose Peñín. And it seems that this is only the beginning of a long road to glory.