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I. Brand & Family, Lime Kiln Valley Mourvèdre, “Enz Vineyard”

San Benito County, United States 2015 (750mL)
$38.00
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Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol

I. Brand & Family, Lime Kiln Valley Mourvèdre, “Enz Vineyard”

I love it when a wine lives up to its story, and the story behind this wine is a doozy: It is made from near-century-old Mourvèdre vines from the much-talked-about Enz Vineyard, a property which comprises the total vineyard acreage of California’s Lime Kiln Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA). Located in San Benito County, near Hollister, what is now the Enz Vineyard was originally planted by homesteaders in the late-1800s; the Mourvèdre was originally brought here by French immigrants, and the eight-acre plot that serves as the source for this wine dates to 1922 and is said to have been propagated from the original vine material.
It is one of several unique and historic vineyards in a portfolio assembled by Salinas-based winemaker Ian Brand, whose career we’ve been following with interest. Brand might best be dubbed a vineyard-hunter; if there’s unique source material to be had in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and the surrounding areas, chances are he’s forged a relationship with the grower and is making a wine from the site. Last year, we offered a vibrant, Monterey-sourced Albariño he makes under his La Marea label. More recently, he’s launched a series of single-vineyard bottlings from iconic vineyards under the I. Brand & Family moniker: This Mourvèdre from Enz Vineyard stole the show in a recent tasting, hinting at a world-class French red with its lavender-scented perfume and lush-yet-sinewy texture. It’s a little piece of California history, but, more important still, it’s a delicious, distinctive, well-priced wine.
With his Le P’tit Paysan and La Marea labels, both crafted in his winery in a Salinas warehouse, Ian has hit on a winning formula: find unique, often obscure California vineyards planted to varieties that make sense in those places (something many Californians ignore in their lust for Pinot Noir!), and make wines that say something about those sites. The I. Brand & Family line is especially focused on iconic vineyard sites—including both Bates Ranch and Monte Bello in the Santa Cruz Mountains—and the level of detail he provides on the Enz Vineyard is downright obsessive. From his notes: 

“We’ve been watching the Enz Vineyard, tucked back in the small Lime Kiln Valley near the mouth of the Cienega Valley, for over a decade. During that time the fruit from the vineyard was taken exclusively by Ken Volk. In 2015 he let go of control of the vineyard and we were able to secure a small allotment from the 8 acre old vine Mourvèdre block. We believe this is the best block on the vineyard, and among the best, if not the best, Mourvèdre plantings on the continent. Planted in 1922 on a north facing 5-10 degree slope on heavily granitic loam. There are seams of limestone and dolomite visible from the vineyard we don’t know if that directly influences the plot.”

It’s worth noting that Bandol, arguably Mourvèdre’s “home” terroir, is a limestone-based soil. The Enz Vineyard is dry-farmed (i.e. not irrigated), with vine age approaching the century mark; the Lime Kiln Valley isn’t exactly a “cool” climate, but it does feature wide diurnal swings in temperature, with hot days and cool nights (there is an influence felt from the Monterey Bay, via a gap in the Gabilan Mountains). One of the key features of this Mourvèdre is its combination of profound depth and refreshing acidity; Brand also sought to preserve freshness further by incorporating 50% whole grape clusters in the fermentation. It was aged in neutral oak barrels for 11 months before bottling.

The 2015 Enz Vineyard Mourvèdre gives you your first hint as to what it is with its lavender/purple-tinted hue. The aromatics are deep and accented with beautiful florals: mulberry, blackberry, black cherry blossoms, lavender, wildflowers, damp forest, anise, and crushed stone. It is richly textured and nicely framed by acidity, with soft, silty tannins. It is simply delicious now: Decant it about 30 minutes before serving in Burgundy stems just above cellar temp. If you were inclined, I think it’s got about a 5-year window for cellaring, but I see no reason to wait on it. There’s terrific aromatic complexity and a spicy, savory component for grilled sausages or a slow-roasted pork shoulder (see attached recipe). Check it out!
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Country
United States
Region
San Benito County
Sub-Region
United StatesLime Kiln Valley AVA / Enz Vineyard
Soil
Loam, Granite & Limestone
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Mourvèdre
Alcohol
14.2
OAK
Used Barrel & Puncheon
TEMP.
60
Glassware
Bordeaux Stems
Drinking
Now-2022
Decanting
30 Minutes
Pairing
Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

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