WTN: 2014 D&R Mourvedre Shake Ridge Ranch

2014 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvedre Shake Ridge Ranch (Amador County) Damn...this wine is so spectacularly interesting that it made me want to tell everyone I can about it or just not say a word and horde all that I can. It opens light and juicy. Solid fruit, mineral and acidity. But that second sip is savory. The third more brambly. Then back to fruit again. Then herbal. A third of the way through the bottle it starts to build weight, more structure, more force, but then it morphs back to skipping over the ocean like a stone. And then it's gone and Lill and I just look at our empty glasses saying, Wow.

[David M. Bueker]

That is a common occurrence with Hardy's wines. the Shake Ridge is one of my very favorites, along with Antle. Evanghelo may be at the top of the heap, but it's a different tune than the rest.

Glad you enjoyed it, and hope you have an extra to have it again. Did you get on the list or buy at retail?

[David M. Bueker]

My take on the 2013 from April of last year: This is delicious wine. It is also intellectually interesting. I keep taking another sip, and thinking about what I am tasting. Is it fruity? Is it savory? Is it earthy? I keep drinking it, and it keeps asking questions. The one answer I have is that it is gone. The bottle is empty, and much too soon for my taste. I only have one more bottle, and I want to open it right now. I also want to age it for some undefined period of time to see what will happen with age. Fascinating stuff.

I do have 1 more, David..thankful for that! Joined the list two cycles ago and got some petite syrah and the pet nat plus ordered some Familiar (white and red) on this last release.

[David M. Bueker]

I may open a petite sirah tonight. We'll see. I reserve the right to change my mind 15 times between now and dinner.

Just unpacked my first case from them (Familiar Mourvedre and blanc, and a couple of Alder Springs Chards.) This makes me excited to try something soon, probably a Mourvedre...

[David M. Bueker]

Familiar Mourvedre is a good first choice. The Chard (if it's like the one last year) is a serious wine.

The D&R disclaimer on this chard release compared to last year
WARNING: This is not a pop and pour chardonnay. It is lasers and razors and quite different than the '13. Please cellar or decant 2+ hours.

"A serious wine": that's exactly what their release notes say, David! Are you moonlighting as D&R's copywriter?

Rest assured I'll follow their instructions carefully, cellar it for at least a year, and then only open it in perfect silence, with a stern look on my face. If Andrea so much as snickers during the procedure, I'll keep the Chardonnay for myself and make her drink Bugey.

[David M. Bueker]

Even the '13 Chardonnay was a serious wine. Granted that was in the context of the fun and funky nature of D&R. It was not DRC Monrtachet.

I only had 2 bottles, and drank them in a flash.

Oh, I'm definitely referring to Dirty & Rowdy Chardonnay as "DRC" from now on.

[David M. Bueker]

Ha!