The 2021 Mourvèdre is another archetypal example of the variety from Andremily, where winemaker Jim Binns manages to polish what can be a naturally rustic variety into a shining, sapphire-like expression. Bottled on August 26 and tasted on October 25, it shows the elegance and juiciness that is characteristic of a cooler growing season. It’s explosive and electrically blue on the nose, with incredibly pure aromas of blueberry candy, violet, juniper and accents of coffee beans, warm chocolate, aniseed and grilled Wagyu beef—it continually unfurls to reveal new scents with each return to the glass. The palate is just as impressive with its balance of concentrated, fragrant fruit, fireworks of fresh acidity and finely chalky tannins, and it has a tremendously long, perfumed finish.
Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RP
The 2021 Mourvedre, tasted as a barrel sample, is composed of 88% Mourvedre and 12% Syrah coming from Alta Mesa, Slide Hill and White Hawk vineyards. It will spend 21 months in 50% new French barriques and a 600-liter demi-muid, with the other 50% in used French barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts with black fruits, dried herbs, garrigue, and crushed rocks with hints of tar and an emerging waft of violets. The full-bodied palate is jam packed with vibrant black fruit and earthy nuances supported by grainy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long. Around 500 cases will be bottled in August 2023.
The Wine Independent | 97-99 TWI
The 2021 Mourvedre starts out tight and closed yet has a pretty, nuanced style in its blueberry and strawberry fruits as well as sandalwood, candied orange, iron, and peppery, spicy nuances. Full-bodied on the palate, it builds beautifully with time in the glass and picks up more varietal meatiness, has solid tannins, perfect balance, and a great finish. A beautiful Mourvèdre, it will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and, I suspect, have at least two decades of overall longevity.
Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JD
The 2021 Mourvèdre is a potent, savory wine. Dark-fleshed fruit, savory herbs, graphite, scorched earth and leather lend tons of savory nuance. Most of this fruit is from Alta Mesa in Santa Barbara County. The Mourvèdre here is very good, but stylistically it is not as interesting as wines from predominantly estate vineyards. It will be fascinating to see if the 2021 opens a bit with aging. Today, it is decidedly reticent.
Vinous Media | 92-94 VM
