The Wine(say 'morh-VEH-dra') Aromas of red fruit/berries, a touch of barnyard, wild game, spice and earth. On the palate, look for a long finish with hints of pencil shavings. Mourvedre is a common blending grape (it's the "M" in the famous GSM blends from the South of France) and is a critical part of the elite Chateauneuf du Pape wines. But it is in Bandol where it sees its highest expression, one of the few areas where it is produced as a varietal wine - like this one!
Precious few cases were produced (not disclosed) from the iconic Enz family's vineyard. Their vines were planted in the late 1800's and discovered and nurtured by the Enz family in the late 1960's. They are some of the only 100+ year-old Mourvedre vines in the U.S. and are dry farmed (no irrigation), resulting in low fruit yields with highly concentrated flavors and depth. Combine this farming decision with Ian Brand's minimal interventionist approach to winemaking and you have a great wine with epic potential!
The Mourvedre grape is thought to have originated in Spain, where it is called Monastrell. Historians who track such things estimate its origins to be ~100 years BCE.
This wine pairs well with the bigger, bolder foods of Fall and Winter, but also with most any grilled meat. But it is also sufficiently thought-provoking to justify the slow, quiet enjoyment with a good friend, your favorite playlist and a pleasant conversation.
The Winery
I have to tell you a story here - from 2002-2004 I worked as a marketing consultant for Bonny Doon Vineyard. I still remember the water cooler buzz among the young women working in the HQ building when young Ian Brand arrived. Had they only known what the future held for Ian!
Twenty years later, baby-faced Ian now rocks one of the all-time great hipster beards in the wine industry, and is married and the father of two (two facts that are unrleated to the beard, I presume). In that time, he also leveraged his talent and passion and declined any and all job offers to pursue his own path - crafting wines from unique vineyards within a day's drive of his facility in Monterey County.
The vineyards Ian works with tend to be "...remote, challenging vineyards capable of producing the most idiosyncratic wines. We did not set out to make these wines. We discovered great vineyards on the edge of sensible farming and decided to bring them to light."
