Clementine Carter, Santa Barbara County (California) Mourvèdre 2020

 This is a jaw-dropping 100% Mourvèdre.  The wine has a lighter body but displays black fruit, black pepper, and minerality.  Mourvèdre is commonly used as a blending grape in the Southern Rhône Valley but its use as a single variety in American red wines has been increasing.  Sonja Magdevski ferments her whole cluster bunches together in a stainless steel bin in a semi-carbonic style.  In the bin, roughly 4-feet deep, she only successfully crushes the top foot of grapes by walking atop the stemmed bunches, making it appear that she is walking atop the wine.  Ultimately, the 50% whole-cluster Mourvèdre is an exceptional expression of Santa Barbara.