Alvaredos-Hobbs Ribeira Sacra Mencia 2020
- Decanter
-
Tasting
Panel -
James
Suckling -
Wine &
Spirits
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Seductive aromas of blackberry and fresh thyme mingle with hints of rose petal, cardamom and sumac. Juicy berries and black cherry on the palate are complemented by spice and floral notes, with a slate minerality, refreshing acidity, and well-balanced tannins.
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
Co-owner Paul Hobbs has long experience in California, as well as interests in Argentina, Cahors and Armenia. The Ribeira Sacra winery takes its name from the village of Alvaredos, the family home of Hobbs’ business partner Antonio López Fernández. The Mencía, from vines aged 10-15 years, was fermented and aged for 12 months in 225-litre French oak barrels, 35% new. Sarah Jane Evans MW: Elegant dark plum aromas. Palate is supple and elegant, with a fine texture from the oak, developing into broad pomegranate and plum. Beth Willard: Really appealing, elegant nose with notes of blood orange, macerated cherries and redcurrant. Elegant and refined despite intensity. David Williams: Highly attractive, pure nose. Refined and elegant palate, with a lovely sensuous feel; very deep, luxurious but light on its feet with the requisite pulse of red-fruited acidity on the finish.
-
Tasting Panel
Paul Hobbs partnered with Galician viticulturist Antonio López to create this wine made from a variety indigenous to the region. Juicy and charming, it maintains a savory tone, with notes of black cherry, white pepper, herbes de Provence, and heather. A hint of hibiscus brightens the midpalate, followed by deeper flavors of coffee bean and graphite.
-
James Suckling
Juicy black cherries and mulberries with hints of dried herbs, stems and white pepper. Plenty of crunchy, tart berries deliver a succulent mouth-feel to the tight, medium-bodied palate, rounded by fresh, structured but silky tannins.
-
Wine & Spirits
Cool and zesty, this wine’s fruit is as black as ripe blueberry skins, with an herbal edge that panelist Nacho Monclús described as “Balsamic finesse in a Galician way.” Violet-scented in the finish.
Other Vintages
2019-
Wine
Spectator -
Wilfred
Wong -
Robert
Parker
When acclaimed vintner Paul Hobbs arrived in Spain in 2015, he traveled to a remote village in the northwest region of Galicia. There, he met with Antonio Lopez, a local viticultor who introduced him to Alvaredos, a small town surrounded by mountains and vines planted on steep, terraced slopes. Together they explored the vineyards, smelled the soil, and quickly realized their mutual desire to unearth the potential held in these ancient sites and indigenous varieties.
After a long drive together back to Madrid, a lifelong partnership was established. After nearly 20 years, Antonio fulfilled his ardent desire to pay tribute to the small village and his grandfather who introduced him to the land when he was a child. The project also represents a new opportunity for Paul to champion one of the oldest and forgotten corners of viticulture in Spain by honoring its unique history while playing a role in elevating the region for present and future generations.
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.
Located in the center of the Galician region in northern Spain, the Ribeira Sacra is one of Spain's most beautiful vineyard areas with stunningly breathtaking views. Vines are planted in the steep valleys and precipitous gorges of the Rivers Miño and Sil that wind through Galicia's lush green countryside. The Ribeira Sacra region has similar dramatic landscapes as the Mosel or Douro Valleys, but a more sparse population and a tranquility unmatched. The region gained official DO status in 1996.
Both white wine and red wine production are dominated by blends of local Galician grapes, with varietal wines being the exception. Today, while the region has seen some consolidation and modern stainless-steel equipment is widespread, winemaking remains artisanal. This reflects the tiny landholdings and farmhouse wineries, along with a traditional and predominantly organic approach to viticulture. With such low yields and often minuscule production levels, these wines are highly sought-after and can be difficult to find on the export market.
Ribeira Sacra DO’s principal white grape varieties tend to be highly fragrant and include Albariño, Doña Blanca, Godello, Loureira, Torrontés and Treixadura. Principal red grape varieties here include Mencía, Brancellao, Merenzao, Caiño, Sousón and Tempranillo.