The Elegance of Pinot, the Soul of Galicia
Few regions in Spain have captured the imagination of sommeliers and collectors quite like Valdeorras. Tucked away in Galicia, this is a landscape where steep slate and granite soils force the vine roots deep, and where Mencía finds its truest voice. The 2022 Avancia “Nobleza Old Vines” is a profound example of what this grape can achieve when farmed with care and crafted with vision. I first became enamoured of the grape and region when the NY Times had a series of articles on Galicia, and have been hooked ever since. Mencia has become one of my favorite grapes; nervy yet earthy and powerful, the best examples exhibit weightlessness on the palate while also richness to satisfy.
Drawn from impossibly old vines—some more than half a century in age—this bottling channels the history of the region into the glass. The old vine concentration gives the wine a texture and depth that younger plantings simply cannot replicate. Aromatically lifted with wild berries, mountain herbs, and a mineral backbone, it carries itself with the elegance of Pinot Noir yet the savory power of Northern Rhône Syrah.
2022 was a benchmark vintage in Valdeorras, with perfect ripening conditions that yielded wines of clarity, balance, and energy. In Avancia’s hands, this means structure without heaviness, intensity without excess. It’s a wine that speaks not just of Mencía, but of the land itself.
For lovers of distinctive, terroir-driven reds, this is a wine to secure while you can. Nobleza is always produced in limited quantities, and with the quality of the 2022 vintage, it will not linger long.
94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
“The 2022 Nobleza Mencia is gorgeous. Based on 100% Mencía, it has beautiful ripe black cherry and darker mulberry-like fruit as well as some peppery herb, leather, and graphite aromatics. These carry to a medium-bodied red that's beautifully balanced, has fine tannins, and a wonderful sense of freshness.”
