2012 Forgeron Mourvedre

Happy Tuesday!  I have been winding down at work, one more day until I'm finished for 2015!  In the meantime, I thought I'd open another bottle of my Forgeron wine club shipment, this time it's the 2012 Mourvedre from the Heart Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA.  I have seldom found a nice pure bottle of this varietal as it's usually blended as the minor partner of any of a number of GSM blends.  So here goes nothing!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose presents some aromas of tart cherry, black pepper, sage and a hint of rosemary, a very rustic feel.  The taste is warm and appealing, with lovely flavors of ripe berries up front, boysenberry, blackberry and currant that transition to some notes of rustic spices, anise, white pepper and clove.  The finish is quite pleasant, with smooth tannins and a reprise of black fruit embellishing the long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's just a very pleasant drinking wine that also seems to be very food friendly.  I would enjoy this wine with a lot of rustic dishes, hearty stews, pastas and pot au feu, but tonight I am going the unconventional route and pairing this wine with a sesame seared tuna steak with wild rice and steamed asparagus.  There's something about fusing Asian inspired flavors with a southern Rhone varietal.  Sante!