Modus Vivendi Mencía 2019

There’s nothing more exciting than wandering into a neighbourhood bottle shop and seeing a wine made from a little-known grape. Even wine students may not be familiar with Mencía (men-THE-ah). And that’s okay, because with 400 different varieties grown in Spain alone, it's hard to remember them all.

For those of you who have never studied wine, or just need to brush up, Mencía is a black grape indigenous to Northwest Spain where winemakers from Galicia and Castilla y Leon have been crafting it into wine for centuries. However, it has only been in the last 20 years that these wines are making their way to North American tables. And that’s because local Spanish winemakers are making the styles of wine that Sommelier’s are proud to serve.

Mencía is now found on some of the city’s most exciting restaurant wine lists because of its versatility. A Mencía wine, like this Modus Vivendi from the Pazo de Toubes winey, is typically medium bodied with aromas and flavours of red berries, delicate spices, and a hint of minerality. However, it’s bright acidity and soft tannins are what complement food so well. It is as delicious alongside a vegetarian meal of tofu, lentils, or mushrooms, as it is when served with skirt steak, chicken, or salmon.

So, next time you see Mencía on a label, do what a Sommelier would do and serve it alongside your favourite recipes.