Limited Addition "Mencia" Willamette Valley, Oregon 2021

FROM LIMITED ADDITION: THE WINE: This is the first Mencia planted in the Willamette Valley AVA. This Spanish variety of Galician origin was rediscovered in its homeland of Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra in 2002 and this is the only planting of the variety in the Willamette Valley. The nearly 2-acre block is planted with four different clones. It is grown on the highest and rockiest volcanic site at the Eola Springs Vineyard in the Eola Amity Hills AVA and as it does in its homeland the variety delivers a distinctive minerality and dark volcanic soil character to the tannins of this wine. The 2021 vintage was the second, eagerly anticipated, fruit of this planting and it didn’t disappoint again. This was possibly the most exciting, and intensely fragrant, fermentation in the cellar this harvest. The grapes were fermented half destemmed and the rest whole-bunch with foot treading for the first few days, the cool fermentation was intensely fragrant with rose, musk, and blue fruits that morphed