Clementine Carter Mourvedre 2021
- Vinous
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
A blend of three vineyards creates this magic: Portico, Zaca Mesa and Martian.
75% whole cluster fermentation, gentle twice a day punch downs, long cool fermentation, 30+ days on the skins, pressed directly into neutral French oak barrels.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2021 Mourvèdre (Santa Barbara County) is a blend from Portico Hills, Martian and Kimsey. A wine of translucence and finesse, the Mourvèdre is positively stellar. Crushed red/purplish berry fruit, lavender, rose petal, mint and dried flowers all grace this exquisite, wonderfully finessed red. The 75% whole clusters are amazingly integrated. The aromatic profile is distinctly Pinot-like at times.
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Wine Enthusiast
. Dark plum, turned earth and plenty of spices show on the nose of this bottling. The palate lands with a hefty mouthfeel, carrying rich flavors of dark fruit and a blend of spices that steadily creeps through the sip as the acidity and structure intensify.
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Jeb Dunnuck
All varietal from a mix of sites in Santa Barbara County (Portico, Martian, and Zaca Mesa), the 2021 Mourvedre is deeper ruby-hued, with medium-bodied aromas and flavors of peppery red and black berries, leafy herbs, underbrush, leather, and tree bark (which is a common, earthy characteristic in Mourvèdre). These carry to a medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, elegant Mourvèdre with plenty of ripe tannins, good mid-palate density, and a great finish. It's going to evolve for a decade.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Mourvèdre was made with 75% whole clusters and matured in neutral barrels. It is scented of blackberries, blueberries, milk chocolate, peppercorn and earth. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and vibrant with spicy blue fruit and a long, floral finish. This is so approachable and easy to drink!
Rhône varietals grown in Santa Barbara Wine Country are the focus of Clementine Carter, particularly Grenache and Mourvèdre. Grenache is a crazy challenging grape to farm. Big clusters, big berries, thick skins. Farming Grenache is all about nuance. Finding the right zone with the correct balance to elevate the sexy, elegant, finessed tingles beautiful wine can impart. Sonja Magdevski, proprietor and winemaker, has had the privilege of working with almost every Grenache vineyard in Santa Barbara County searching for the ones that resonate with her and her goals - to deliver a pure wine experience with pure intention. “I have made a lot of Grenache in my 20 years making wine and I joke that I don’t really know what Grenache tastes like. Each wine should taste likes its home.”
Full of ripe fruit, and robust, earthy goodness, Mourvèdre is actually of Spanish provenance, where it still goes by the name Monastrell or Mataro. It is better associated however, with the Red Blends of the Rhône, namely Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Mourvèdre shines on its own in Bandol and is popular both as a single varietal wine in blends in the New World regions of Australia, California and Washington. Somm Secret—While Mourvèdre has been in California for many years, it didn’t gain momentum until the 1980s when a group of California winemakers inspired by the wines of the Rhône Valley finally began to renew a focus on it.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.