Graff Family Mourvedre

[Innkeeper]

2001 Graff Family Vineyards, Chalone, Mourvedre ($16 Taste of Monterey). Alcohol 14.4%. Typically high bouquet of leather with the meat still attached! Hugh rush of blackberries upfront. Black pepper, spice, more fruit, all contributes to the lush complexity across the palate. Three bells on the finish. Very, very nice!

We had picked up some specialty sausages at the Portland Market on the way home on Monday. One was a lamb sausage which was almost like our lamb burgers stuffed into casing, but there were some roasted red pepper in with the pine nuts et al. The other was a chicken sausage with shitake mushrooms and herbs. We grilled two of each with mesquite smoke and served with salad in freshly made blue cheese dressing. Matched perfectly with the Mourvedre.

[dananne]

Thanks for the rec. I'll be on the lookout. I'm really starting to enjoy these new solo Mourvedres. I've had several recently that I found very nice, including a Jaffers. I'll never tire of it in my Rhone blends, but I think it can stand alone as a varietal.