Beverage of the Week (BOW)

Terra Vina Mourvedre Columbia Valley NV

Product Story

This unique Mourvedre is made of wine from two vintages (2015 and 2016) and fruit from two different states. The 2015 portion is made of fruit from Elephant Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills, Yakima Valley Washington. The vineyard is located on an east-facing mountain vineyard at elevations between 1,320 feet and 1,460 feet. The 2016 portion of this Mourvedre was sourced from the Cockburn Vineyard in Milton Freewater, Oregon. The wines were obviously made separately being rested in both American and French oak prior to bottling. The resulting wine is big and bold but extremely well-balanced with no perception of alcohol heat with bright, natural acidity.

Brand Story

Karl Dinger moved from the San Francisco Bay area to Oregon in 1996. He purchased a prime parcel of land ideally suited for a vineyard and planted his first grapes in 1997. It wasn't long before Dinger caught the winemaking bug. A fortunate connection with a local winery owner and winemaker David O'Reilly who became a mentor to Dinger allowing him to create wines at his commercial facility. Dinger created Terra Vina and in 2004 he had his his first commercial release a whopping 334 cases! Today Terra Vina remains small crafting roughly 2,500 cases of wine annually. The wines are not distributed nationally but they can be purchased directly from the winery's web site.

Tasting Note

Brilliant, deep ruby color. The aromatics are very intense offering scents of raspberry, slate, and plum with supporting notes of pomegranate, cedar, and black tea. The palate confirms the nose delivering a red and black fruits-driven core with flavors of boysenberry and five spice. The finish is long and lingering with supple tannins and accents of black pepper. Full-bodied and nicely balanced with an opulent texture.

How to Serve

Serve at cellar temperature and it is best decanted as a bit of aeration allows the aromatics and flavors to blossom. Serve with grilled meats.

Price: $ 36

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