2014 Terre Rouge - Mourvedre Sierra Foothills (750ml)

Terre Rouge is the project of winemaker Bill Easton, who has been handcrafting wines in California's Sierra Foothills since the mid-1980s. Based in Amador County's Shenandoah Valley, the winery takes its name from the region's distinctive terre rouge, or red earth, a reference to the granite and volcanic soils that define the area. Easton set out to prove that Rhône varieties like Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre could thrive in California's foothill heat, building a style centered on deep color, balance, and wines built to age.

This Mourvèdre draws fruit from vineyards scattered across four Sierra Foothill counties: Placer, El Dorado, Amador, and Calaveras. The volcanic and granite-based soils common to the region stress the vines just enough to concentrate flavor while preserving structure. After fermentation, the wine spent time in oak, which layered in spice notes without overwhelming the fruit, part of Terre Rouge's broader commitment to wines with real depth and longevity.

The 2014 Mourvèdre pours a deep, saturated color and offers ripe blackberry and black cherry at its core, accented by cardamom, cinnamon, and a whisper of wood smoke from the oak. The palate is full-bodied and firmly tannic, with generous fruit that holds up well against the structure. It pairs nicely with braised lamb shank, wild boar ragu, or a wedge of aged sheep's milk cheese.