I like a wine that lives up to its name. Not that this wine has an excess of bacteriological activity. The funk is under control but it has attitude, a raucous, downhome spirit but with a touch of cowboy class.
It’s cloudy and dull in the glass, no gleaming sheen to admire here. But the nose draws you in with its folksy enthusiasm. The red raspberry/black cherry notes rhyme nicely with the dried roses and decaying autumn leaves with tarragon hints.
The juicy yet dry palate slips just under the medium weight limit and opens with a moment of playful tenderness. But with a howl of happiness and a whisper of freedom it moves and stirs, swelling with soaring acidity while acquiring breadth from supple dusty tannins that bark but never bite. The tannins and acidity work together like two sides of a coin to create intensity on the medium length finish on which a subtle, tart apple-like flavor lurks.
A wine of tiny explosions, its too jabbery to be elegant and the finish harbors latent angst below the surface but its mouthwatering and delicious and walks the walk with The Blaster’s classic, American Music.
Technical Notes and Story: 100% Mourvedre from the Chalone AVA in Monterey County. Whole cluster native yeast fermentation, unfiltered and unfined, and aged in neutral French oak.Made by Mourvedré specialist Hardy Wallace, a former wine blogger who decided to make wine, and has become one of the better known natural wine producers in California.
Score: 92
Price: $49 (Purchase Here)
Alc: 12.5%
Exploring the Philosophy of Food and Wine 