2014 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvèdre 'ESPECIAL' Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard

Community Tasting Notes (20) Avg Score: 90.6 points

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  10/24/2020 - Eric wrote: 91 Points

  I sort of lost this in the cellar, and it is presumably a wine I was supposed to get too sooner. Have no fear though, this is buzzing and alive! Cloudy, murky and funky in the glass. This has explosive aromatics. Cranberry, rhubarb and warm hay gently toasting in the sun. Insanely energetic and vibrant with zingy strawberry and orange juice notes. This is electric stuff, really showing vibrancy and pop. Stupidly delicious!

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  4/25/2018 - McMalbec Likes this wine:

  This was my first all Mourvedre and I didn't know exactly what to expect. The color of the wine in the glass was murky but without sediment. The nose was big and interesting, but hard to pin down- a minerally, dark cranberry; the flavor was light, leaving a sensation of raspberry/cooking cherries on the palate. Several of us though it reminded us of a nouveau Beaujolais.
  I don't feel it is fair for me to put a number rating on this wine but look forward to tasting more California Mourvedre and would purchase the Especial again.

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  4/9/2018 - David_T Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Light-bodied but intensely flavored with red/black currant, cranberry, red/black raspberry, red/black cherry, herbs and hints of cocoa/earth. Light-medium tannins, medium acidity.Drinking well now, should easily last through 2019.

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  8/18/2017 - MartyL Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Jill's comment: Raspberry juice.
  
  Same light color, cloudy light red, as on release. Really pretty red berry and floral aromas. Less ebullient than it was on release, it's still expressive of freshness and brightness more than anything else. So so pretty on the nose. On the palate there's a definite cranberry-ish acidity and a nice tart-sweet balance. Super light body---no tannins to speak of, barely perceptible alcohol. Great great stuff, especially in warm weather. I know Hardy thinks this vintage should be consumed within the next year, but I'm kind of curious what this pretty fruit character will turn into with some more maturity.

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  8/21/2016 - ininov Likes this wine:

  I drink a lot of Dirty & Rowdy wine, but this one took me by surprise - it was the first time I was having it. At first I was sure it was corked. It had to be. But I didn't pour it down the drain and in about an hour, this had completely changed. The nose had come together and I can pick out a distant and gentle fruit. But how this tastes! A lovely symphony of flavors - primary plum and secondary spices and tobacco, all in a nice balanced, precariously held together by high-strung acidity. I am excited to see how this fares on day 2.

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