Behind the Cork™ - Vines on the Marycrest Mourvèdre

2014 Vines on the Marycrest Mourvèdre ($40)

Vines on the Marycrest is located on 26 acres of steep hills in the Adelaida district of westside Paso Robles in California. Originally their land was an almond orchard with some old Zinfandel vines. It is now planted with Zinfandel, Tempranillo, and Rhône varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Viognier. All these do extremely well in the Paso Robles area.

The westside of Paso Robles experiences hot, summer days with cool nights due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. This large temperature difference, called a diurnal shift, along with the rocky, limestone soils is perfect for growing wine grapes.

This Vines on the Marycrest Mourvèdre is produced from 100% Mourvèdre grapes. On the nose you get nice aromas of cherry and plum with a bit of earthiness. On the palate you get a wonderfully smooth wine with candied cherry, raspberry, dried fig and fresh violets. It has bright acidity and an easy finish.

Check out the wines of Vines on the Marycrest on https://vinesonthemarycrest.com/ or visit them in Paso Robles. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - McPrice Myers 'Beautiful Earth' Red Blend

2013 McPrice Myers ‘Beautiful Earth’ Red Blend ($42)

When I was looking for a good wine to accompany a recent meal, I noticed this Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre (GSM) from Paso Robles and grabbed it.

Upon pouring it, I immediately noticed that this GSM was a very deep purple color. I was expecting it to be a bit lighter, more like a medium ruby red. Then I took my first sip and again was surprised. It was full-bodied with lots of bold fruit flavors.

Once I turned the bottle around to the back label I realized why the color and taste did not match my expectations for a GSM. It turns out, this is a SGM (79% Syrah, 13% Grenache and 8% Mourvedre). Ah ha! It actually could be labeled as a Syrah!

This turned out to be a super bottle of wine! And, while it was a bit bolder than I would have paired with the meal, it was wonderful to drink. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week

2013 Wild Horse GSM ($12)

This blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre (GSM) from Wild Horse is medium-light in body with a soft mouthfeel, candied red fruit flavors, and light tannins. When served slightly chilled, at cellar temperatures, it's a very easy-drinking wine that goes well with light fare. This is a great value for such a nice wine.

While this is a Wild Horse flagship wine, look for more wines from Wild Horse in my up-coming reviews of some of their reserve wines. They're really nice and surprisingly affordable. Cheers!

Behind the Cork ™ - Wine of the Week

2013 Rabbit Ridge Allure de Robles Rhône Style Blend ($6)

This Rhône style blend is a perfect fit for Behind the Cork ™ - Wine of the Week. It's affordable, it's attainable and it's a nice wine to enjoy any day of the week.  Being a Rhône blend, it is made from Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre (GSM). It's medium-bodied with flavors of blackberries, black currants and just a hint of pepper. Being aged in a bit of oak also add to the character of this easy drinking wine.