Mencia Mencia Riesling Portugal Douro 750ml

Riesling grapes have been grown in and around central Europe for centuries, and over time, they became the lasting symbol of south Germany's ancient and proud wine culture. Whilst the reputation of German wines abroad has in the past been mixed, the Germans themselves take an enormous amount of pride in their wineries, and Riesling grapes have now spread around the globe, growing anywhere with the correct climate in which they can thrive. Riesling grape varietals generally require much cooler climatic conditions than many other white grapes, and they are generally considered to be a very 'terroir expressive' varietal, meaning that the features and characteristics of the terroir they are grown on comes across in the flavors and aromas in the bottle. It is this important feature which has allowed Riesling wines to be elevated into the category of 'fine' white wines, as the features of the top quality bottles are generally considered to be highly unique and offer much to interest wine enthusiasts.

Benefiting from both the hot, dry Iberian climate as well as brisk Atlantic winds, Portugal is a perfectly situated country for vineyard cultivation and wine production. With a wine making history which stretches back thousands of years, it comes as little surprise that wine plays an important role in the cultural identity and practices of the country. The Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Greeks and the Romans all had a hand in forming Portugal as an important center for wine production, and over the millennia, this resulted in each region of this beautiful part of Europe producing its own distinctive wines easily identifiable and separate from neighboring Spain's. Today, the varied terroir and climate across Portugal allows a great range of wines to be made each year, from the fresh and dry Vinho Verde wines to the famous and widely drunk fortified Port wines, and many in between.


The undisputed jewel in Portugal's crown is the beautiful wine region of Douro, located along the banks of the river from where it gets its name. The region itself is renowned around the world for its range of wonderfully aromatic fortified wines, as well as a wide variety of still red and white wines made from native grape varietals. Wineries in the Douro region utilize a huge amount of different local grapes for their characterful wines, but generally the most popular are made from Tinta Roriz, a rich and flavorful red wine grape related to Spain's flagship Tempranillo. However, there are plenty of different red and white grape varietals used in the region, all benefiting from the excellent hot weather and mineral rich terroir which characterizes the Douro valleys.