1996 Jade Mountain Mouvedre, Evangelho Vineyard, California. I was able to snag this for a song from a local cellar where the wine has been sitting, untouched, since release. I was excited to try it based on the Vineyard and the vintage but was also ready to be disappointed. The color looked excellent through the bottle and the fill was perfect, so when I saw the condition of the cork and realized that I didn’t even need my Durand…my hopes were a bit higher. Well I’m happy to report that this wine was really, REALLY good! Like…I’m blown away good! It poured a beautiful purple color with a very young nose of violets and Mouvedre funk (in a great way). In the mouth this is absolutely delicious! Dark, sweet fruits, spice, and again a slight hint of Mouvedre funk. Loads of acidity create a wonderful and fresh mouth-feel. Honestly, blind, I’d clock this as 5 years old, tops. Not sure if there’s some zin/other grapes in the wine but it’s fantastic, and I’m hoping to grab some more. @Morgan_Twain-Peterson @Chris_Cottrell , you’d dig this the most!