2018 Mourvèdre
It looks like there was a problem contacting the store. Please try reloading your browser. If the problem persists try contacting us at orders@tablascreek.com
The 2018 Tablas Creek Vineyard Mourvèdre is Tablas Creek’s fifteenth varietal bottling of Mourvèdre. We use most of our Mourvèdre in our Esprit de Tablas each year. However, we feel that the Mourvèdre grape, often pigeonholed as a blending varietal, can produce remarkable varietal wines, and when we can, we try to reserve a limited quantity of particularly characteristic lots of Mourvèdre for a single-varietal bottling.
-
93 points; "concentrated dark berry, floral pastille and fruitcake flavors take a sweeter turn as the wine opens up": Vinous (Dec. 2020)
-
93 points; "The palate is elegant and beautifully textured.": Owen Bargreen (Nov. 2020)
-
95 points; "endless layers of fruit and spice": BevX (Nov. 2020)
-
91 points; "a chewy frame and good freshness on the finish": Wine Advocate (Oct. 2020)
-
94 points; "savory spice, earth and dried meat": Purely Domestic Wine Report (Oct. 2020)
-
93 points; "rich earthy, leather and spice; long and lush, charming": Blue Lifestyle (Oct. 2020)
-
Extraordinary; "the very best Mourvèdre that I can ever remember tasting": Underground WineLetter (Oct. 2020)
Tasting Notes
A vibrant spicy, brambly nose of boysenberry, plum, licorice, and a little new leather. The mouth is substantial without being heavy, with flavors of red currant, loam, and meat drippings that we expect only to become more pronounced with some time in bottle. The finish shows sweet spices and dusty tannins that suggest some time in the cellar will be well rewarded. Drink any time over the next 15 years.
Technical Details
Appellation
- Adelaida District Paso Robles
Technical Notes
- 13.0% Alcohol by Volume
- 640 Cases Produced
Blend
- 100% Mourvedre
Recipes & Pairings
Recipe Suggestions
Food Pairings
- Richly flavored stews
- Pork chops with fruit reduction
- Asian preparation of red meats (i.e., beef stir fry)
- Bittersweet chocolate desserts
Production Notes
Our Mourvèdre grapes were grown on our 120-acre certified organic and biodynamic estate vineyard.
The 2018 vintage saw an almost ideal balance of vine health and stress, as is often the case with the first dry year after a very wet one. Although rainfall was just 70% of normal, the rains came late, delaying the onset of bud-break and the beginning of the growing season. The cool weather continued most of the year, punctuated by a six-week heat wave in July and early August. But temperatures moderated before picking began, and harvest proceeded under slightly cooler than normal conditions, allowing us to pick without stress and producing fruit (and wines) with intense flavors and good balancing acidity.
The Mourvèdre grapes were destemmed and then fermented using native yeasts in fermented in large wooden tanks. After three weeks, they were pressed and moved to 1200-gallon foudres to complete their fermentation. The Mourvèdre lots were blended in spring of 2019, aged for an additional year in foudre and bottled in May 2020.