Once again, Katy Lovell’s outstanding Mourvedre topped the list of most popular wines at the recent downtown Campbell Wine Stroll. The buzz was all about this amazing, vibrant and unique wine. Mourvedre, also called Mataro by the Italians who planted it alongside Zinfandel in some of the older California vineyards, is a Rhone varietal that is usually blended with Grenache and Syrah to create what is known in hip wine parlance as a “GSM.” It’s rare to find it separately bottled, but is becoming more popular as people discover its unique personality.
If you have never tasted Mourvedre, it is a bit like Pinot N
oir in body and acidity, with a distinctive smokey, red currant and red licorice nose, often leaning towards salty, bison jerky. The flavors are predominantly red fruits, like gooseberry and pomegranate, and there is almost always a wild gamey component that I call “sauvage.” Sometimes the smokey character is so intense, I’m reminded of smoked oysters. In the case of the Poetic Cellars 2006 vintage, the flavors hint at salty red licorice, rhubarb compote, gooseberry jam and smokey bacon. It’s a fantastic pair with garlic and rosemary lamb rubbed with Bloody Mary salt, venison with cranberry chipotle sauce, and compliments foie gras with basalmic and strawberry reduction beautifully.
If you want to impress your friends with something new, exotic and really memorable, bring a bottle of Poetic Cellars Mourvedre to your next gathering.
www.poeticcellars.com
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