Slightly Jaded!

I didn’t write down and I can’t remember when we bought this 2005 Jade Mountain Mourvedre but I do remember we had it at a Wine Cellar tasting before we purchased it. Jade Mountain Vineyard and Winery is located in Contra Costa County California. The Evangelho vineyard which was planted in 1890, is named for the last name of the family that has managed it since 1938 and is where this wine originates from. Winemaker Alison Green Doran has a long history of California wine making tutelage, from her father who bought Simi Winery in 1969 to her mentor Andre Tchelistcheff. Doran believes that the only way a wine can truly get better is to start from the vineyard. That statement speaks directly to my philosophy on making wine if I was to actually make it, and as a wine drinker it gives me a greater appreciation of the juice as it fills my glass.

A Bit of Background on the Wine –The wine is composed of 94% Mourvedre and 6% Carignane both from the North facing slopes of the Evanghelho vineyard. The 2005 vintage in Contra Costa started out cool and wet with a warm August and a cool fall, which led to one of the longest harvests on record. Prior to fermentation the grapes were cold soaked before they were allowed to ferment for 2 weeks, after which it was pressed and placed in French Oak barrels for 10 months.

My Tasting Notes

Nose – Birthday Candle, blueberry, chocolate cake batter

Taste – Dark berry fruit (slightly “sugary”), slight raisin and Zin quality, cinnamon and allspice

Mouthfeel – Medium body, smooth, good weight in the mouth, alcohol was a bit unbalanced

Finish – felt a bit on the short end compared to the rest of the tasting experience

This is a fun wine, we had it with take-out Stromboli from our favorite little spot up the street, Candellas Italian Ristorante. The wine was very fruity, with a nice mouthfeel that was ultra smooth and rich. My only complaint was that the alcohol seemed to be kicking me a little bit, but overall for $14 I recommend it as a good wine to have with pizza or other casual fare.

Cheers!

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