Cline Cellars Late Harvest Mourvedre

Big Break vineyard was chosen for this Late Harvest Mourvèdre. It's planted in deep sand-soil, is dry-farmed, and benefits from the drying winds that blow through Contra Costa County. The vineyard carried a light crop of grapes that ripened and dehydrated to a high sugar content. When the grapes arrived at the winery, the lot was 25% raisined. Working with ultra-ripe raisiny fruit to make this delicious wine had its challenges. The must began to ferment after three days in the tank, with a natural yeast fermentation, contributing to the complexity of the blend. Fermentation progressed and in a matter of three weeks the combination of alcohol and sugar caused the fermentation to draw to a close. The wine was racked to 30% new French oak barrels allowing the fruit flavours to show through without being masked by the oak.

This wine is luxuriously sweet and divinely tempting. Layers of coffee, After-Eight chocolates, black berries and prunes dominate but they are beautifully balanced with a firm structure of acid and fine grained tannins.