2014 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvedre Skinner Stoney Creek Vineyard - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado County (8/17/2016)
Every time I think I have the D&R wines figured out I try a different one, and my head starts spinning again. My first bottle of Skinner Stoney Creek induced more head spinning in a very good way. It had all the freshness and lively palate presence as the "typical" D&R wine, but also showed a layer of what I once learned to expect from Mourvedre that gave the nod to the old world while remaining firmly grounded in the new world. Beyond the cool, almost serene fruit there was leather and herb and a bit of sun-softened tar that made me think of Bandol. I was then snapped back to California by a lingering sweetness of the fruit.
I don't know anything about this vineyard site, so whether this is a terroir expression or not is an open question. that being said, the varied D&R cuvees are all so different that I have to believe that Hardy is capturing the spirit of the sites in his wines, from the exotic Evangelho to the brightness and austerity of Santa Barbara Highlands.