Raúl Pérez

When people talk about Spanish red wine, most conversations begin and end with Tempranillo. But some of the most thrilling wines in Spain come from a very different place, both stylistically and geographically. Travel northwest to Bierzo, a rugged and green landscape shaped by mountains and slate, and you’ll discover Mencía: a grape that every serious wine drinker should know. It delivers fragrance, finesse, and lift, along with red fruit, wild herbs, and a mineral core that feels carved straight from the hillsides.

Bierzo is where Mencía shows its true identity. The region’s steep vineyards, ancient bush vines, and stony soils create wines that are vibrant yet layered, concentrated yet agile. Old vine depth meets cool-climate freshness, giving Mencía a character that often reminds people of Pinot Noir or Northern Rhône Syrah, but with unmistakable Iberian personality.

All of Molitor’s 2019 vintage wines on sale now!
 

Few estates demonstrate the transformative power of time like Markus Molitor. His Rieslings begin life razor-sharp and intricately detailed—built on purity, tension, and absolute precision—but it’s with a few years of rest that they start revealing their deeper story. Now approaching six years from harvest, the 2019s are entering that exciting phase where youthful brilliance gives way to developing nuance, added texture, and richer layers of aroma and flavor.

The shift is subtle at first, then undeniable. Fruit that once felt purely citrus-driven now shades into candied lime, yellow stone fruit, and hints of dried orchard blossom. The slate-driven minerality grows more expressive and resonant, bringing cool herbal tones, gentle smokiness, and a whisper of honeyed depth without losing the vibrancy that defines Mosel Riesling.