Mencia wine's fruity flavor profile comes from a type of aromatic compounds called terpenoids. This red wine features notes of raspberry, cherry sauce, licorice, strawberry and pomegranate, as well as a pleasant floral scent. The flavor, with a medium to high tannin content and acidity, is halfway between pinot noir and petite sirah; mencia often goes for a more economical price than those red wines. To get the most out of mencia's flavors, remember to decant it for at least 45 minutes.

Mencia red wine is food-friendly, pairing well with red meats that enhance its fruity flavors. Try it with beef brisket and corned beef, but also with game meats, roasted pork, duck, a charcuterie board or chicken fajitas.

The best cheese pairings for this fruity red wine are Queso Iberico, Manchego, Monterey Jack and white cheddar. Mencia also works well with vegetable-based dishes that contain mushrooms, red cabbage, onions, artichokes, lentils and red peppers. Alternatively, you can serve it with risotto and wild rice. If you're vegan, this wine pairs well with seitan.

Add some spices to your cooking to complement mencia's flavor. This fruity red wine goes well with nutmeg, black pepper, cardamom, mustard, fennel seeds, rosemary, garlic and barbecue sauce.

Mencia grapes mostly hail from Spain and Portugal. In Spain, these grapes are common in the regions of Bierzo, Valdeorras and Ribeira Sacra. In Portugal, they mostly come from the region of Dão. Most mencia wines also contain other grape varieties such as Merenzao, Brancellao, Sousón and Caíno Tinto that soften the bitterness of the tannins. For best results when looking for this wine, pronounce it as "men-thee-ah," as they do in Spain.

Find mencia and other red wines on Drizly. Click to find a liquor store on Drizly near you, or see if Drizly is already in your city.