Mengoba - Brezo Tinto, Mencía, Bierzo, Spain 2022)

TASTING NOTES

Loads of herbal notes, black pepper and red plums. This wine walks a really dynamic interplay between the smooth fruit and the slightly brambly, wild rustic structure that makes this a real pleasure to sip and enjoy. 

Mengoba founder Gregory Pérez is committed to practicing holistic winemaking and protecting the biodiversity of his land. He began his career in France, working at Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Château Cos d’Estournel before moving to Spain at the encouragement of his friends. It’s in Spain’s Bierzo D.O. where Gregory worked for several years before establishing Mengoba in 2007.

Mengoba vines are grown near the town of Espanillo, at the head of the river Cúa on steeply sloped vineyards situated 650 to 800 metres above sea level. The soils are infused with clay and decomposed slate and are regularly ploughed up and aerated to enhance the richness of the earth.

Gregory makes wines based on eight guiding principles: knowledge of the soil, protection of the land’s biodiversity, use of indigenous varietals, no aggressive treatments, no herbicides, low yields, hand-selection of grapes in the vineyard and traditional winemaking methods. His goal is and always has been to make authentic, great wine with minimal impact on nature, and his results are dazzling.