Cline Mourvedre Ancient Vines 2011 750ml

Winery: Cline

Varietal: Mourvedre

The Mourvèdre grape varietal is today grown all over the Old and New World, and is thought to have originally been brought to Spain by ancient Phoenicians over two thousand years ago. They are not the simplest of varietals to cultivate, and often wineries struggle with Mourvèdre, as they require both heat and moisture, and as such need to grow in well irrigated vineyards in hot regions. However, the resulting wines made from Mourvèdre grapes are usually fascinating and delicious, carrying interesting flavors that are often described as darkly meaty, with plenty of blackberry and other dark berry notes. The wines are often quite tannic and high in alcohol and acid, and as such, it is very common for Mourvèdre to be blended with Grenach and Syrah varietals in order to make superbly balanced wines.

Region: California

California has long been the New World's most important and prodigious wine producing regions, with a history which stretches back to the 18th century and the Spanish pioneers who settled here. Today, California produces vast quantities of wine, and if it were a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine on earth. Despite experiencing many problems in the mid 20th century, including a very serious blight which almost crippled the state's wine industry, the ideal terroir and excellent climate ensured that Californian wines soon became the envy of the New World once again. California produces a vast range of wines, and utilizes a long list of fine grape varietals, with many wineries and their produce more closely resembling those of France and other Old World countries in regards to character, practices and flavors

Country: United States

The first European settlers to consider growing grapevines in the United States must have been delighted when they discovered the now famous wine regions within California, Oregon and elsewhere. Not even in the Old World are there such fertile valleys, made ideal for vine cultivation by the blazing sunshine, long, hot summers and oceanic breezes. As such, it comes as little surprise that today more than eighty-nine percent of United States wines are grown in the valleys and on the mountainsides of California, where arguably some of the finest produce in the world is found. However, American wine does not begin and end with California, and due to the vast size of the country and the incredible range of terrains and climates found within the United States, there is probably no other country on earth which produces such a massive diversity of wines. From ice wines in the northern states, to sparkling wines, aromatized wines, fortified wines, reds, whites, rosés and more, the United States has endless surprises in store for lovers of New World wines.

Appellation: Central Coast

California's Central Coast has grown over the past century or so to become one of the United States' most important wine regions, producing an impressive amount of wines each year made from the vast array of grape varietals which thrive there. The hot Californian sunshine and brisk Pacific winds are ideal for growing the imported French and Italian grapes which typify the region, and the fertile soils of Central Coast help give these grape varietals their distinctive character, and big, bold, juicy flavors. By far the most popular varietals grown in Central Coast are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but this region produces both red and white wines of exceptionally high quality, using the latest in viticultural techniques and technologies. The wineries of Central Coast are dedicated to raising their profile, and displaying to the world just how good their unique terroirs really are.