value wine of the week: cline ancient vines mourvedre 2010

October 17th, 2012 | Posted by admin in WINE

Have you heard of Mourvedre? It’s a grape of French origin and is often used as a blending grape in what are known as GSMs (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre). It adds structure and complexity when blended with other grapes.

France, Australia, Spain and the U.S. use Mourvedre mostly for blending, but there are some wine makers who have done a great job of crafting this grape as a single varietal bottling. Here we have a California grown Mourvedre by Cline.

Cline Cellars produce a lot of wine, specializing in Zinfandels from northern California, but they have quite a few value wines and are worth keeping an eye on from vintage to vintage. In this case, they have delivered a Mourvedre from Contra Costa County in the bay area near San Francisco.

I’ve had several bottles of this wine and I love it. It has left me lingering on the aromas and provides a lengthy finish for a wine in this price range. It received 88 points from the Wine Spectator and I found it at Total Wine for $11.99. The release price is listed at $16. Here’s the write up from James Laub:

Well-focused mint and wild berry fruit is supple and generous, with a spicy, road-tar edge. Well-balanced, intense yet graceful. Drink now through 2018. 14,788 cases made.

Drink it now or hold on to it for the next few years and see how it develops. Cheers!

 

 

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