03 Aug 20
Wine of the Camino de Santiago
If you are a food and wine lover, you can enjoy the pleasure of Spain’s exceptional viticulture with every footstep on the Camino! As you walk from St Jean to Santiago the landscapes will rise and fall, all of which form subtle changes in the characteristics and structure of each region’s wine.
If you love Pinot Noir and other aromatic reds then the Spanish red grape variety Mencía is something worth investigating. It was formerly a relatively minor varietal, but over the past two decades has emerged into notably greater popularity. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s not surprising: Mencía only grows in Spain and Portugal on the Iberian peninsula. What makes Mencía special is that it has shown the ability to age like other fine wines and it offers rich aromas in the glass.
With that in mind, here are some wines to discover along The Way!
St Jean Pied de Port
Vega Montán JóVen Mencía
Mencía
Intense and deep sapphire black colour. Fresh, full of dark fruits and with a noticeable flowery background.
Roncesvalles
Godelia Tinto
Mencía
Perfect expression of the Mencía grape and the Bierzo soil. Complex, elegant and concentrated. Ageing in the wood gives it mature red fruit signs with mineral touches and spices.
Zubiri
Hombros
Mencía
Lively colour, violet shades and a shine that reveals a perfect acidity for ageing. It has a fine vintage aroma on the nose with plenty preserved fruit, achieving a perfect balance.
Pamplona
Pelique Rosado
Mencía
Cherry pink colour, medium intensity. Ripe red fruit fragrance, sweet strawberry, cherry and citrus fruit aromas. Medium body on the palate, good acidity, fruity and bright. It is sweet and inspiring
Puente la Reina
La Prohibición
Garnacha (Grenache)
Very fragrant; the fruit seduces the nose with morello cherries, violets and hidden cask notes. Indian ink, herbal touches, spices and on the palate it is well balanced, fresh and lively.
Estella
Viña de Moya Leiros
Mencía
Black fruit and candy fragrance, slate minerals, and vanilla and chocolate aroma. Well bodied, round and perfectly balanced.
Logrono
Art
Mencía
Art stands out due to its freshness. The elegance and well balanced acidity prevails on the palate. It is a fine wine, with essence of bush, minerals and myrtle.
Najera
PalacIo de Canedo Reserva
Mencía
An intense picota cherry colour, ripe fruit fragrance and sweet sensations from the oak cask. Good structure and deep palate. Harmonises with spicy food, adding character and elegance.
Burgos
Ribas del Cúa Joven
Mencía
Very intensely aromatic on the nose, predominating red and black fruits. Fresh and buttery with a long finish; very aromatic like fruit salad.
Hornillos del Camino
TenoIra Godello
Godello (Spanish white variety)
Bright yellow with golden glints. It is intense on the nose with a great variety of fruit in which apple, pear and many citrus fruits stand out. On the palate it is smooth, elegant and long lasting. The taste of stone fruits is quite evident.
Carrion
Casar de Santa Inés 1998
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Mencía, 15% Merlot, 10% Tempranillo
Beautiful dark red cherry colour. Intense on the nose, with a complex fragrance of red and black fruit, leather and minerals, it is also toasty. It is powerful in mouth, round, fruity, very long lasting and with an elegant retro-nasal sense.
Leon
Pieros
Mencía
Very complex and deep scented with plenty of mineral and phosphorus aromas; spicy with aromatic herbs. On the palate it is mature and expressive and with a powerful and aromatic end in the after taste.
Villafranca
Pago De Valdoneje Viñedos Viejos
Mencía
Intense cherry red colour. It has a delicate aroma with fresh fruit and mineral scents. Well defined and direct, with a great quality palate. It has a vigorous and balanced body. Perfect for ageing.
O Cebreiro
ValdaIga X 2010
Mencía
Cherry red colour with violet borders. It has a mineral fragrance, intense ripe meaty fruit and balsamic aroma. Silky palate, advancing to a fruity explosion with lively tannins; it is powerful and has a very long end.
Triacastela
Xamprada
Mencía
You can sense its elegance and freshness by looking at it. The exotic touch of the Godello grapes and the fruitiness from the Mencía variety are very festive. Long lasting bubbles.
Sarria
Valtuille Cepas Centenarias
Mencía
Excellent cherry red colour, with violet shades and great legs. Full of spice and delicate. A slight pleasant sweetness prepares the palate for the tannins.
Palas de Rei
Tilenus Godello
Godello
White wine made from Godello grape variety. Beautiful golden yellow colour, great exaltation of fruit aromas on the nose: apple, pineapple, lychee. On the palate it is ample and very fresh due to an ideal balance of acidity.
Arzua
Godello Merayo
Godello
Intense fragrance. Green apple, stone fruit, citrus fruit and fennel touches. The mineral sensations envelop the wine and make it complex.
O Pedrouzo
El Castro de Valtuille Joven
Mencía
Red colour with crimson or violet shades. The first impression on nose is very pleasant, with the correct fragrance power and distinguished fine quality. It is a young velvety wine, well balanced and flexible simplicity.
Santiago de Compostela
Ribas del Cúa PriviegIo
Mencía
The greatest expression of Mencía variety grapes. Intense varietal aromas: blackberries, cassis, broom and ink. Complete palate, full of sensations where the magnificent balance and fleshiness stands out. It has an aromatic long end.
Written By
Mel Reynolds
Mel is the Sales Manager and Co-Owner of RAW Travel. She has spent a lifetime hiking many of the world's best trails. Mel believes the best way to understand the world is to explore it on foot. Many of her fondest memories are food related! She always has a great story to tell and loves creating memorable experiences for RAW clients.