2021 Andremily Santa Barbara County Mourvèdre

“The 2021 Mourvèdre is another archetypal example of the variety from Andremily, where winemaker Jim Binns manages to polish what can be a naturally rustic variety into a shining, sapphire-like expression. Bottled on August 26 and tasted on October 25, it shows the elegance and juiciness that is characteristic of a cooler growing season. It's explosive and electrically blue on the nose, with incredibly pure aromas of blueberry candy, violet, juniper and accents of coffee beans, warm chocolate, aniseed and grilled Wagyu beef—it continually unfurls to reveal new scents with each return to the glass. The palate is just as impressive with its balance of concentrated, fragrant fruit, fireworks of fresh acidity and finely chalky tannins, and it has a tremendously long, perfumed finish. (EB)” (11/2023)

“The 2021 Mourvedre, tasted as a barrel sample, is composed of 88% Mourvedre and 12% Syrah coming from Alta Mesa, Slide Hill and White Hawk vineyards. It will spend 21 months in 50% new French barriques and a 600-liter demi-muid, with the other 50% in used French barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts with black fruits, dried herbs, garrigue, and crushed rocks with hints of tar and an emerging waft of violets. The full-bodied palate is jam packed with vibrant black fruit and earthy nuances supported by grainy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long. Around 500 cases will be bottled in August 2023. (LPB)” (10/2024)

“The stunning 2021 Mourvèdre shows the fresher, focused, slightly cooler style of the vintage perfectly while still being 100% Andremily goodness. Red and blue fruits, orange blossom, violets, leather, and peppery incense nose all define this stunner, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a concentrated, powerful mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and plenty of fine-grained tannins. It picks up some classic Mourvèdre bloody, iron-like nuances with time in the glass, and it will ideally be given 3-4 years of bottle age. It will see its 20th birthday in fine form.” (08/2015)