News and Wine Blog
Vino Mas April Wine Club
04/03/2025
The Main wine this month is a Mencía, from Spain. Mencía (“Men-thee-ah”) is a medium-bodied red wine grape that produces high quality wines with floral and red fruit flavors. Mencía only grows in Spain and Portugal on the Iberian peninsula. The grapes for this wine from Catro Ventrosa grow in some of the rare sandy/chalky soils in the region at elevations from 1700-2000ft and come from 40-60 year old vines. Vinified in stainless and bottled with no oak treatment. This Mencía is brilliant and juicy. Plus the label is adorable and will be perfect for the Sprig and Easter season.
The Complement Red is Le Bombardi Cannanou di Sardegna DOC. Cannonau is a Sardinian red grape variety, genetically identical to Grenache/Garnacha but with some differences thanks to centuries of isolation on the island. It is the most widely grown red grape on the island. The "legend" of the Cannonau grape, stems from Sardinia's status as a "Blue Zone" – a region with a high concentration of centenarians – and the belief that the wine made from this grape contributes to Sardinians' longevity and health. Lets all raise a Glass of Cannonau to our health!
The White this month is actually a Rose produced by Bosco del Merlo from from Italy. It is a Rose of Pinot Grigio. Usually skin contact Pinot Grigios have more of a orangey color, but not this one has more of the pinkish color. This wine is aged on the lees for a couple of months which help to give the wine more of a complexity than you see in many Pinot Grigios. Bosco del Merlo initialed "The Life in Rosé project" that was started in 2018 with the aim of promoting prevention and supporting the fight against breast cancer. Bosco del Merlo has thus become an active part of LILT's Nastro Rosa campaign by donating annually part of the proceeds from the sales of the Pinot Grigio Rosé DOC. The project was a starting point that has today brought the Life in Rosé project to a wider scope by not only supporting Breast Cancer research but also to support sports activities and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
I paired the Mencía with Spanish Tuna cakes, topped with an avocado salsa and a kale salad. The tuna with the avocado salsa gave the the dish a great acidity which complemented the acidity in the wine. The red fruit and tart notes of the wine went well with the craisians in the Tuna cakes and pulled out the Spanish spices notes of the cumin and smoked paprika. On the kale salad I used a lemon poppy seed dressing. The was a beautiful match to the lemon avocado salsa that the tuna cakes were topped with. Overall this wine is light, flavorful, fruity, a bit tart and drinks very smoothly. This dish had just the right level of acidity, spice and flavor and brought out the acidity and subtle minerality in the Mencía wine. Yes, you can drink red wine with fish! Mencía is a great alternative to an Pinot Noir, Gamay, Garnacha or an Italian wine. Salud!
Deb paired the Cannonau: Deb paired the Cannonau: Believe it or not, I have never made lamb chops or prepared couscous, until now! Lamb chops have a tender texture and distinct flavor that is both rich and savory. They are versatile and pair well with various herbs and spices. This wine is luscious and fruity with a velvety mouthfeel that hints of spice. So, I thought the combo would blend beautifully. The lamb recipe is quick and easy, using minimal ingredients, and really let the soft tannins and dark fruits of the wine shine. The couscous absorbed the flavors of the flaxseed and vegetables for a satisfying side dish that was equal in texture and richness of the lamb and the wine. We added mashed sweet potatoes as kind of an afterthought. Wow, did the sweet and savory of the potatoes with the wine almost take on a dessert like satisfaction. Happy accident for sure! Enjoy!!
We did not do a pairing for the Rose. With Easter being just a few weeks away, this will be a great bottle to put on your dinner table that day. The Rose is delicious, comes in a beautiful bottle and will go with most of the appetizers and sides that will be served. See picture below.
Recipe links below. ENJOY!
The Complement Red is Le Bombardi Cannanou di Sardegna DOC. Cannonau is a Sardinian red grape variety, genetically identical to Grenache/Garnacha but with some differences thanks to centuries of isolation on the island. It is the most widely grown red grape on the island. The "legend" of the Cannonau grape, stems from Sardinia's status as a "Blue Zone" – a region with a high concentration of centenarians – and the belief that the wine made from this grape contributes to Sardinians' longevity and health. Lets all raise a Glass of Cannonau to our health!
The White this month is actually a Rose produced by Bosco del Merlo from from Italy. It is a Rose of Pinot Grigio. Usually skin contact Pinot Grigios have more of a orangey color, but not this one has more of the pinkish color. This wine is aged on the lees for a couple of months which help to give the wine more of a complexity than you see in many Pinot Grigios. Bosco del Merlo initialed "The Life in Rosé project" that was started in 2018 with the aim of promoting prevention and supporting the fight against breast cancer. Bosco del Merlo has thus become an active part of LILT's Nastro Rosa campaign by donating annually part of the proceeds from the sales of the Pinot Grigio Rosé DOC. The project was a starting point that has today brought the Life in Rosé project to a wider scope by not only supporting Breast Cancer research but also to support sports activities and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
I paired the Mencía with Spanish Tuna cakes, topped with an avocado salsa and a kale salad. The tuna with the avocado salsa gave the the dish a great acidity which complemented the acidity in the wine. The red fruit and tart notes of the wine went well with the craisians in the Tuna cakes and pulled out the Spanish spices notes of the cumin and smoked paprika. On the kale salad I used a lemon poppy seed dressing. The was a beautiful match to the lemon avocado salsa that the tuna cakes were topped with. Overall this wine is light, flavorful, fruity, a bit tart and drinks very smoothly. This dish had just the right level of acidity, spice and flavor and brought out the acidity and subtle minerality in the Mencía wine. Yes, you can drink red wine with fish! Mencía is a great alternative to an Pinot Noir, Gamay, Garnacha or an Italian wine. Salud!
Deb paired the Cannonau: Deb paired the Cannonau: Believe it or not, I have never made lamb chops or prepared couscous, until now! Lamb chops have a tender texture and distinct flavor that is both rich and savory. They are versatile and pair well with various herbs and spices. This wine is luscious and fruity with a velvety mouthfeel that hints of spice. So, I thought the combo would blend beautifully. The lamb recipe is quick and easy, using minimal ingredients, and really let the soft tannins and dark fruits of the wine shine. The couscous absorbed the flavors of the flaxseed and vegetables for a satisfying side dish that was equal in texture and richness of the lamb and the wine. We added mashed sweet potatoes as kind of an afterthought. Wow, did the sweet and savory of the potatoes with the wine almost take on a dessert like satisfaction. Happy accident for sure! Enjoy!!
We did not do a pairing for the Rose. With Easter being just a few weeks away, this will be a great bottle to put on your dinner table that day. The Rose is delicious, comes in a beautiful bottle and will go with most of the appetizers and sides that will be served. See picture below.
Recipe links below. ENJOY!
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Castro Ventosa Mencia:
TASTING NOTES: This wine has it all - fruit, earth, subtlety and nuance, yet expressive and accessible.
Recipe to pair with Mencia:
www.vinomas.com/Spanish-Style-Tuna-Cakes-with-Mencia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Le Bombarde Cannonau:
TASTING NOTES: Presents an intense ruby red color with aromas of cherry and raspberry, and a full, warm, velvety taste with balanced tannins, making it a harmonious and easy-drinking wine.
Recipe to pair with Cannanou:
www.vinomas.com/Lamb-Loin-Chops-sizzled-in-Garlic-with-Gourmet-Couscous-and-Le-Bombarde-Cannonau
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HIGH TIER:
Martin Woods Syrah The Rocks 2022
Tasting notes: Red-blue fruits, violet, green olive tapenade, warming spices—mouthfilling, silken, harmonious balance—a permeating fine thread of structure—youthful, will gain in complexity and subtlety over many years in the cellar
Nested within the Walla Walla Valley AVA, The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater resides entirely on the Oregon side of the Valley. The Rocks District is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries have been fixed by virtue of a single soil series (Freewater Series) and a single land form (alluvial fan). We believe this to be one of the few locales in the world where the highly distinctive savory/umami attributes of Syrah can be found in spades, making for highly complex, perfumed and textured wines that remind us of the Northern Rhone. The proof is in the glass!
Jeb Dunnuck: 94+ Points Vinous Media: 94 Points
Castro Ventosa Mencia:
TASTING NOTES: This wine has it all - fruit, earth, subtlety and nuance, yet expressive and accessible.
Recipe to pair with Mencia:
www.vinomas.com/Spanish-Style-Tuna-Cakes-with-Mencia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Le Bombarde Cannonau:
TASTING NOTES: Presents an intense ruby red color with aromas of cherry and raspberry, and a full, warm, velvety taste with balanced tannins, making it a harmonious and easy-drinking wine.
Recipe to pair with Cannanou:
www.vinomas.com/Lamb-Loin-Chops-sizzled-in-Garlic-with-Gourmet-Couscous-and-Le-Bombarde-Cannonau
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HIGH TIER:
Martin Woods Syrah The Rocks 2022
Tasting notes: Red-blue fruits, violet, green olive tapenade, warming spices—mouthfilling, silken, harmonious balance—a permeating fine thread of structure—youthful, will gain in complexity and subtlety over many years in the cellar
Nested within the Walla Walla Valley AVA, The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater resides entirely on the Oregon side of the Valley. The Rocks District is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries have been fixed by virtue of a single soil series (Freewater Series) and a single land form (alluvial fan). We believe this to be one of the few locales in the world where the highly distinctive savory/umami attributes of Syrah can be found in spades, making for highly complex, perfumed and textured wines that remind us of the Northern Rhone. The proof is in the glass!
Jeb Dunnuck: 94+ Points Vinous Media: 94 Points
Post By:
Deanna Albertson