Alex Krause and John Locke founded Birichino in Santa Cruz in 2008. Drawing on a combined four decades making wine in California, France, Italy, and beyond. Sourcing from a number of carefully farmed, family-owned vineyards planted by and large in more moderate, marine-influenced climates. Their preference is for minimal intervention, most often favouring native fermentations, employing stainless steel or neutral barrels, minimal racking and fining, and avoiding filtration altogether when possible.
This stunning red comes from a vineyard planted in 1897 in Costra Costa County just outside the Bay Area. The old bush vines of Mourvedre produce tiny yields of fruit with wonderful concentration and complexity showing through in the finished wine. In typical Birichino style this eschews excessive heaviness, instead taming the powerful tannins to produce a medium-bodied, very drinkable style.
The nose has intense black cherry and bramble fruit, with hints of the leathery and meaty notes typical of Mourvedre. The palate combines more ripe black fruit with hints of cocoa, liquorice and black tea. The tannins are ripe and rounded and there is a lovely seam of acidity in the finish keeping it all fresh. A wine that would be perfect with grilled meat - a nice ribeye steak or a juicy lamb chop.