Wine Creek Ranch Mourvèdre 2018
Given that our microclimate is similar to that of Frances Southern Rhone region coupled with our proprietor's penchant for this variety, we planted 2.5 acres on a single lot. The Mourvèdre clone selected traces its lineage to Château de Beaucastel, renowned for its expressive red blends highlighting this variety. WINEMAKING NOTES Mourvèdre is usually the last variety to ripen on our estate. Always hand-picked in the early morning hours, the cool fruit is whisked to the winery a few hundred yards away. Grape clusters are then rigorously hand-sorted and gently destemmed, with a small percentage of whole clusters included for aromatic complexity. Fermentation is conducted in small open-top tanks with daily punching down. After approximately two weeks, the tanks are drained off and the skins gently basket-pressed. The new wine is quickly settled for 48 hours, and then transferred to barrels to finish fermentation and start aging. In early spring, after the malolactic fermentation is complete, the blend is assembled, and moved to finish aging in French oak foudres to continue softening texture while retaining freshness. THE WINE A rustic, earthy edge that we love dominates this medium-bodied wine. The deep purple color has a noir tone to its edges. The nose is at once full of earthiness, Mediterranean herbs, and mixed dark berry fruit. Notes of stewed jam, sarsaparilla, pencil shavings, roasted meats, light white pepper, plum, blackberry, black cherry, and crushed rock all fabulously intermingle. The palate mimics the nose with a finish of spicy minerality. This is our first Mourvèdre offering since 2013. Tasting that and the 2012 vintage from our library tell us that 2018, with its grippy, young tannins, will continue to drink well through 2026-2027. Mourvèdre is so food-friendly, it's like your favorite Aunt came for dinner and made everything perfect. Explore with eggplant Parmesan, lasagna, Manchego with a dollop of membrillo, grilled meats, pissaladière pizza (caramelized onions, anchovies, and black Niçoise olives), and nearly any dish with truffle oil.
Composition
98% Mourvèdre 2% GrenacheVineyard
Wine Creek RanchAlc. %
14.5%| Organic | Yes |
|---|---|
| Sustainable | Yes |
| Closure | N/A |
| Bottle Size | Standard |
What are people saying about this wine?
My Review
Customer Reviews
Explore more wines from...
Quivira Vineyards & Winery
Quivira Vineyards’ is a leading producer of Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Rhone varietals, built upon intentional winegrowing and a thoughtful commitment to sustainable and organic farming. Quivira’s philosophy is driven by the seamless vision of quality shared between winemaker Hugh Chappelle and vineyard manager Ned Horton. Together, they have integrated the vineyard and winery where farming practices are optimally aligned with the desired characteristics of the finished wine.
The winemaking style at Quivira emphasizes balance and transparency of terroir utilizing thoughtful low-input winemaking to produce wines that proudly showcase their varietals and origins. In crafting these wines, Hugh uses a light touch when working with the raw materials. This is not a hands-off approach, it simply means that manipulation is intentionally and thoughtfully minimized to only those operations the wine truly needs. In fact, it requires even more engagement via more frequent observation and tasting to best know when and when not to intervene. Hugh likes to develop complexity by judiciously using a few techniques: blending, co-fermentation, phased harvesting and barrel aging - both oak and acacia wood.
Routes that visit Quivira Vineyards & Winery
Featured Wines
Discover more Mourvèdre
Other wines from Dry Creek Valley
Headed to the vineyards?
Tour wine country like a pro
Download the Wine Routes app to bring your routes, wineries, and interactive tastings wherever your journey takes you!
Headed to the vineyards?
Tour wine country like a pro
Download the Wine Routes app to bring your routes, wineries, and interactive tastings wherever your journey takes you!
Headed to the vineyards?
Tour wine country like a pro
Download the Wine Routes app to bring your routes, wineries, and interactive tastings wherever your journey takes you!