Another one from my tasting archives:
Short Preamble:
Mourvedre is the French name for this variety know as Monastrell in Spain and Mataro in Australia. I much prefer the French term Mourvedre. In France Mourvedre is also known as l’étrangleur de chien or The Dog Strangler due to the combination of it’s thick skins and ferocious tannins, those aspects demand astute management by both vinter and vigneron of which Warren is both.
This vintage was the strong La Nina event, big rains across Eastern and Southern Australia, the Brisbane River with a massive catchment broke it’s banks in some areas, flooded parts of Brisbane’s CBD and devastated some of the more usually affected areas such as Milton/Rosalie. We drove into Pyramids Road Cellar Door, emerged from the car, began walking toward the main entrance and noticed a feral looking figure under a souwester, raincoat and sloshing galoshes. The figure was walking toward the entrance of the winemaking area, we peered from under our umbrellas just as the figure, carrying a vat of grapes, raised the rim of the souwester and said, “I’ve never done a vintage like this” – it was Warren!
14% a/v so the grapes managed to ripen well enough in the wet cooler conditions – although I’d guess Warren and Sue had to spend more than their usual hands on time in the vineyard during this vintage.
The wine is very bright for an 8 year old, a glowing garnet at the edges and very deeply coloured elsewhere. The bouquet exudes more spice than either the 2009 or 2012 Pyramids Road Mourvedres, the black fruits also feature, especially as the wine breathes, a little cedary oak and black olives complete the picture. The palate shows black pepper and just a little white, black fruits, fine nicely resolved savoury tannins that continue to drive the wine, the oak is unobtrusive – merely a supporting structure as it should be. One thing that is different in this wine, compared to other vintages, is the acid, here the acid is a little more refreshing and drives the wine longer on the palate. All in all another great Pyramids Road Mourvedre beautifully balanced and structured, the wine sits in the window between medium and full bodied. I was surprised at how good this wine is now, given the very wet vintage but “Vintages Aren’t Vineyards”. There should be no rush to drink this wine.
Tasted: Wednesday 13th March, 2019 without food and then with over several hours.
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $30
Suggested Drinking Window: Now to 2024
Winemaker: Warren Smith
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