2017 Purity Mourvèdre ‘Quench’

Region: Nevada County < California
Grapes: Mourvèdre
Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Organic farming; granite soil, foot trod, aged in neutral barrel; unfined/unfiltered with zero added SO2; 11.8% ABV
Winemaker: Noel Diaz

Purity Wines is the project of Noel Diaz, whose background is in the restaurant business. After nearly 20 years working in both front and back of house, he gravitated towards the wine side and eventually became the wine buyer at the restaurant where he worked. Through connections from friends he explored all sides of the wine industry and eventually settled on winemaking, which is great for us drinkers, as he is one of the most dedicated hands-off, full-transparency and gifted winemakers we know. He shares the full story of how each wine is made on the back label, broadcasting his mission statement on Purity’s website front page: “Crafted from grapes of uncompromising quality, with minimal intervention and great deference to soil, place and vintage.”

This Mourvèdre, from the Oakstone vineyard high in the Sierra Foothills, is energetic, thanks to the granitic geology, but elegant with bright red fruit, an earthy almost animal like aroma, and supple tannins.  2017 is a true product of the season, with vines shutting down due to a long heat spike before harvest, leaving high acid and low alcohol. Which makes this Mourvèdre exactly the kind of bright, chillable juicy winter wine we crave, with dark fruit, fennel and a tart grapefruit edge.