Mencía is to Pinot Noir as Godello is to Chardonnay, and Antoine Graillot is the Raúl Pérez of the Northern Rhône. Superfluous metaphors aside, the bright red Mencía has a tendency towards the barnyard. In this collaboration with the master of peppery Syrah, Antoine Graillot, a waft of animalistic perfume gradually burns off to reveal a beautifully balanced, explosively cherry-fruited and spicy palate. For those wine drinkers who like to stick their noses in dark places, or anyone who just enjoys natural, old-world wines of the countryside. At $46, it’s the best value wine on our shelf.
