Matilda Nieves Mencia Ribeira Sacra 2024 (Spain)

Description

"I find Mencia such an intriguing wine and variety - it can a bit chameleon like with scents that at first could be Pinot Noir then Syrah, yet as soon as it touches the palate it says something different - chalky bolder tannins, still plenty of acidity, a wine that doesn’t need a big stamp of oak. This wine shows aromas and flavours of boysenberry and raspberry, cherry cola and red beets. The acidity and tannins deliver very phenolics and spice, a backbone of power and youthful palate squeeze. Dry, lengthy and well made with best drinking from 2028 through 2033+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Feb 2026

"Their commitment to quality shines in their expressive, award-winning wines from Ribeiro" Decanter

A medium-bodied, fragrant wine with signature bright red fruit — cherry, wild strawberry, violets with notes of graphite and slate minerality. It is celebrated for its fresh, silky, and crowd-pleasing palate. The tannins are fine rather than aggressive, and the overall impression is closer to elegant Pinot Noir or Loire Cabernet Franc than to the fuller reds of central Spain.

Rectoral de Amandi is the Ribeira Sacra project of renowned family-owned Bodegas Gallegas in the parish of Santa María de Amandi, Sober (Lugo), on the north bank of the Sil canyon. It was one of the first commercial bodegas tied to the appellation in the 1980s and is the DO’s largest-volume producer. The family farms roughly 120–130 ha of the indigenous Mencía variety.

Ribeira Sacra (the “Sacred Riverbank”) is a winegrowing zone at the heart of Galicia, north-western Spain. Winemaking dates to Roman times, and was continued by monks during the Middle Ages, hence the name' in reference to the numerous local monasteries. It is  considered one of Europe’s most extreme examples of ‘heroic’ viticulture. Vines cling to steep terraces (socalcos) cut into slate and schist canyons, some with gradients approaching 80 percent. Mechanisation is almost impossible; everything is done by hand. The climate is more continental than on the coast: warmer days, cooler nights, less rain.

Here the native Mencia has enjoyed something of a revival due to improved, low-yielding viticulture which has seen the variety court international attention. This highly rated example (previously a Best in Show at the Decanter World Wine Awards) is named after the founder's granddaughter. 

Food Pairing: It pairs beautifully with the richer end of seafood, mushrooms, roasted poultry, grilled meats, and charcuterie.