This tasting was done blind, and yielded quite surprising results. Wine #1 was the 2018 “Outer Limits” Mourvedre, and Wine #2 was the “Enz Vineyard” bottling. The “Outer Limits” is much higher octane (15.2% alc.) than your typical D&R wine; I was expecting that I would prefer the lower-alc. “Enz Vineyard” bottling (13% alc.), but that ultimately was not the case. That said, each wine had at least something going for it that the other didn’t.
Nose: #1
Palate: #2
Finish: #1
2018 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvèdre Outer Limits- USA, California, Central Coast, Lime Kiln Valley (6/10/2021)
– decanted 1.5 hours before initial taste –
– tasted blind alongside the Enz Vineyard bottling from the same vintage –
NOSE: spicy/stemmy; dark red fruits; a little reductive; reminds me of a cool climate Syrah.
BODY: garnet-violet color of medium-deep depth.
TASTE: gently tannic; medium+ acidity; good finish; tight, but not closed; 15.2% alc. – wow! – I really thought this was the lower alc. of the two in this tasting; both wines in this tasting were made from Enz Vineyard fruit. Very nice! Gut impression score: 90 - 91.
2018 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvèdre Old Vine Enz Vineyard- USA, California, Central Coast, Lime Kiln Valley (6/10/2021)
– decanted 1.5 hours before initial taste –
– tasted blind alongside the 2018 D&R “Outer Limits” Mourvedre from the same vineyard –
NOSE: fruity (dark red fruits); doesn’t present the stemmy/savory note that the “Outer Limits” did; a bit less expressive than the “Outer Limits,” too.
BODY: garnet-violet color of medium-deep depth; medium-light to medium bodied.
TASTE: gently tannic; medium-low to medium acidity; tight, slightly earthy fruits; hint of strawberry jam; clipped finish; 13% alc.; gut impression score: high 80’s. I preferred the “Outer Limits” to this one.
