“At Bodegas Enrique Mendoza, our challenge is to make wines in such a way that you can recognize our sun, our light, our Mediterranean character, and our humanity,” explained Julián Mendoza, who added, “With the right attitude, experience, and team, this journey is proving to be more appealing than it seemed.” He then launched into an in-depth discussion of Ladecan, a red wine with the Alicante Designation of Origin, sourced from dry-farmed, goblet-trained vineyards located on the northern slope of the Sierra de Castellar. Its freshness and balance reflect a unique historical setting, marked by the presence of an agro-Phoenician site from the 7th and 6th centuries BC.

For its part, Oraval demonstrated its unique personality, defined by the gypsum soils of the ancient Villena Lagoon, drained in 1803 by the Acequia del Rey Carlos IV (King Charles IV Canal), which gave rise to a surface where Cretaceous gypsum outcrops are now found. This wine offers a fresh and mineral profile, with notes of red fruit and Mediterranean herbs, ideal for pairing with more intense gastronomic creations.

The experience was rounded off with a carefully curated gastronomic proposal designed by José Manuel Manglano, who brought product and wine into dialogue through a balance of intensity, texture, and aromatic complexity. Mi Cub is the only space in the Mercado de Colón (Columbus Market) that offers not only wines from the Valencian Community but also always-fresh products from the market, recently brought up from the stalls of its merchants, including Manglano, whose cheeses and hams are a hit on his menu.

The Longaniza de Pascua (Easter sausage) from Cárnicas Rodrigo, made from lean meat and spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and pepper, offered a unique aromatic profile that paired perfectly with Oraval, while the Comté cheese, aged for 22 months, with its notes of nuts, butter, and toasted nuances, found a balanced accompaniment in Landecan that respected the identity and expression of both products.

The “Aura Ibérica” Iberian acorn-fed ham, with its infiltrated fat and unctuous texture, found a perfect counterpoint in the acidity and freshness of the Monastrell wines, not only with those presented but also with the Enrique Mendoza Rosado and the Enrique Mendoza Chardonnay.

The event was consolidated as a unique opportunity to discover the universe of Bodegas Enrique Mendoza, where tradition, territory, and sustainability combine to create wines with their own identity. And also to present a type of gourmet tapa with which to enjoy at Mi Cub.

Mercado de Colón

Carrer de Jorge Juan, 19, L’Eixample, 46004 València, Valencia

Tel: 963 94 03 59