163 cs. made. $45/btl.
100% Mourvèdre fermented with 70% whole cluster and 30% whole berry. Aged for 25 months in 500L puncheon and 228L barrique, 10% new French oak from Allier. Pure, complex scents of blackberry, blueberry, mountain herbs, licorice, lilac and violet, plus a hint of an iodiney bloody steak. Juicy, firm and youthful with dark berry and mineral flavors. This wine is deeply savory with a balancing berry intensity. The tannins are beginning to integrate nicely, a crushed berry character and lightly saline minerality push through the finish.
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 thin rocky soil. This block requires the most attention of any we farm from Andrew and Todd Newhouse, our grower partner here. 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.