Tablas Creek Mourvedre Adelaida District 2018
The Data
Country USA
Appellation Adelaida District
Varietal Mourvedre
Retail Price $45
ABV 13%
Score 4.5 Stars/95 points
In the Glass
Appearance
Brilliant, deep ruby color.
Aromatics
The aromatics are very intense offering scents of black plum and leather with supporting notes of black tea, boysenberry, and smoked meats.
Flavor
The palate echoes the nose delivering a black fruit-driven core with flavors of black currant, raspberry, five spice, and mineral. The finish is long and lingering with fine, chalky tannins.
Intensity & Texture
Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a opulent texture with endless layers of fruit and spice.
Cool Factor
Tablas Creek is a unique winery in California seamlessly marrying Old World and New World winemaking and setting the standard for Rhône varietals in California — among them a lovely varietal, Mourvedre. What could be cooler?
Value Grade
At $40 a bottle it's not a bargain hunter's Rhône Ranger of choice but this is one of the most delicious varietal Mourvedre wines that we have experienced. Just 640 cases made.
Analysis
The 2018 Tablas Creek Vineyard Mourvédre is Tablas Creek’s 15th varietal bottling of Mourvedre and it is our favorite thus far. Tablas Creek uses a majority of their Mourvedre in their great Esprit de Tablas but luckily they reserve a bit for this single varietal bottling. While 2017 was a wet year (the most January rain ever at Tablas Creek) 2018 was much drier. A late bud-break was followed by cool temperatures that gave way to a six-week heat wave in July and August. All of the grapes for this wine were grown in Tablas Creek's certified organic and biodynamic estate vineyard. The fruit was destemmed and fermented with native yeasts in large wooden vessels and then fermentation was completed in 1200-gallon foudres. The various Mourvedre lots were blended in spring 2019 and then aged another year in foudres before being bottled in May 2020.
How to Enjoy
Drink now or hold for a decade or more in the cellar. This nicely balanced and complex wine is great at the table pairing well with grilled marinated pork, game stews, or even bittersweet chocolate.