Explore Oregon Wines: Wineries | Varietals | AVAs | Cellar 503 Selections
Analemma Wines 2016 Mosier Hills Mencia
Finding a unique spot on the Earth
Bolt a camera to a post outside. Every day at the exact same time, take a photo of the position of the sun. After a year, layer the photos – and you’ll see the analemma. The sun will have traced a figure-eight shape in the sky. Why? The math is complex, but it has to do with the tilt of the Earth and the elliptical path we take around the sun.
To winemakers Steve Thompson and Kris Fade, the analemma is a symbol that reflects their focus on place. After all, every place on Earth has its own unique analemma – a kind of place-based fingerprint.
Having wandered as far afield as New Zealand to make wine before coming home to Oregon, Steve and Kris often say that they’re inspired by the power of wine to showcase the land, the water, and the climate in each site they farm.
Analemma Wines may be a relatively new winery, launched in 2010, but their wines come from the historic Atavus and Oak Ridge Vineyards as well as their own estate vineyard, Mosier Hills, planted at one of the highest elevation sites in the Columbia Gorge.
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Analemma Wines, Mosier, Oregon
2016 Mosier Hills Mencia
Never heard of Mencia? That’s not a surprise. As far as anyone can tell, Analemma is the first vineyard in the United States to plant Mencia – perhaps the first outside of Spain!
In Spain, Mencia comes from the northwest corner of the country from a region north of Portugal called Bierzo. The region has long been overshadowed by its more well-known cousins, but a renaissance led by Mencia has put it back on the map for Spanish wine lovers. And it’s through their wine-focused Spanish travels that Analemma’s Kris and Steve discovered Mencia.
Like Pinot Noir, Mencia is a mid-weight red wine with lovely notes of bramble, strawberry, and dried sage. It’s a fresh, versatile wine – perfect for tapas – that pairs well with charcuterie (Iberico pork, anyone?), roast duck, and grilled meats. If you’re grilling, put it the fridge for ten minutes and give it a little chill for a special treat.
This is a really unique wine. It’s Analemma’s first bottling – just 105 cases – and we’re thrilled to share it with you!
A Cellar 503 selection in September 2018, Unusual Varietals Columbia Gorge | Mencia
