2005 Rosenblum SF Bay Mourvèdre
That bottle being opened in the picture is the 2005 Rosenblum Mourvedre from San Francisco Bay. The grapes come from the Castanho Vineyard in Contra Costa. Mourvèdre is known as Monastrell in Spain where it originated…though some sources seem to think that Monastrell is really Graciano. However the DNA may fall, Mourvèdre tends to be high in alcohol and tannins with an often gamey flavor. When grown in southern France, the structure is good, as is the intensity of fruit. It’s called Mataro in Portugal and the New World, and almost vanished into oblivion until the Rhône Rangers rescued it and brought it back to life in Contra Costa County.
You may recognize my girl Shauna from the post about the Paso Robles Grower Day, in which she attempted a smile and I couldn’t even keep my head up. What you may not know is that in addition to drinking wine, this girl can make it, too. She’s been working her way around the winery, in all areas, including up in the tasting room with us. This wine was released at the August Open House, but we actually tasted it a couple weeks earlier. Shauna was excited, since she had given it some TLC before it went to the bottling line: six hours of aeration and the addition of a tiny amount of old vines Zin. We tasted and enjoyed: flavors and aromas of roasted coffee beans, chocolate, plums, blueberries, pepper, and traces of minerality. Good tannins and medium+ acidity. And quite a deal at $18.
2005 Rosenblum Mourvedre, Mourvèdre, Monastrell, Mataro
September 25th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
I finally found your friggin blog-site!!!! And… I am totally wearing the yellow Rosenblum shirt right now, as I found this pic! Your blog is lookin great! I liked the ladies luncheon one as well!
Much love! Housewarming!!???????
_shauna