2020 Latta Wines Mourvedre Upland Vineyard

162 cs. made. $52/btl.

92 pts. Vinous | 92 pts. Sean Sullivan

Always beloved by the weirdest weirdos in the club, the 2020 opens with iodine, gravel, and the faintest hint of baking spice. The palate reassures you that this wine was indeed made of grapes, with notes of dark ripe mulberry followed by continued savory spice. This 100% Mourvèdre is fermented with 70% whole cluster and 30% whole berry. Aged for 22 months in 500L puncheon and 228L barrique, 10% new French oak from Allier.

Our Mourvèdre is all Upland Vineyard as well, albeit a very different block from the Grenache. One of the most exposed parcels on Snipes Mountain, our Mourvèdre block soaks up the sun on the thinnest rocky soil. This block requires the most attention from Andrew and Todd Newhouse, our grower partner here, of any block we farm. Notoriously finicky, Mourvèdre requires just the right combination of carrot and stick to get to its sweet spot for harvest. Many long hours have been spent staring at the canopy while climbing the extreme slopes of Upland trying to divine what these vines need next. We hope the wine delivers as much mystery and depth as it provides us throughout the season.