Dropout WInes
Castanho Vineyard Mourvèdre
Contra Costa County, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
Originally I passed on this wine, it was offered to me and I thought it was just a cute label. Frankly it’s fitting that the imagery deals with school because I failed that test. Talk about smooth, you could be playing poker with Paul Newman while listening to the Rat Pack wearing a leather jacket like Steve McQueen and you would approach this level of smooth and cool. Hardly to no tannins or overwhelming acid but fresh. Low in alcohol, or at least it tastes like it, but just wonderful warm and inviting fruit without being too jammy or over ripe. A small hint of vanilla and just enough sweet spices to keep things interesting. Smells of deep ruby, almost purple fruit. You know that girl that wears sweats to class everyday and later ends up being a runway model? Tasting this is her email saying she always thought you were cute.
Originally I passed on this wine, it was offered to me and I thought it was just a cute label. Frankly it’s fitting that the imagery deals with school because I failed that test. Talk about smooth, you could be playing poker with Paul Newman while listening to the Rat Pack wearing a leather jacket like Steve McQueen and you would approach this level of smooth and cool. Hardly to no tannins or overwhelming acid but fresh. Low in alcohol, or at least it tastes like it, but just wonderful warm and inviting fruit without being too jammy or over ripe. A small hint of vanilla and just enough sweet spices to keep things interesting. Smells of deep ruby, almost purple fruit. You know that girl that wears sweats to class everyday and later ends up being a runway model? Tasting this is her email saying she always thought you were cute.
1 person found it helpfulDec 4th, 2018Dark purple with lilac accents. Big, expressive nose of cranberry, blackberry jam, roses, green vegetation, and oaky vanilla. This isn’t the French or Spanish version of Mourvèdre that I’m used to. It’s a bit cleaner and fresher to me and not nearly as extracted as other California bottles. Medium bodied with high acidity and even a good bit of that pleasant funk happening here. On the palate there’s stewed plums, more blackberries, cinnamon roll, and bright cherries. The funk makes a reappearance on the finish. Quality stuff here.
Dark purple with lilac accents. Big, expressive nose of cranberry, blackberry jam, roses, green vegetation, and oaky vanilla. This isn’t the French or Spanish version of Mourvèdre that I’m used to. It’s a bit cleaner and fresher to me and not nearly as extracted as other California bottles. Medium bodied with high acidity and even a good bit of that pleasant funk happening here. On the palate there’s stewed plums, more blackberries, cinnamon roll, and bright cherries. The funk makes a reappearance on the finish. Quality stuff here.
1 person found it helpfulOct 13th, 2018
Great Mourvèdre. Ample fruit w some earthy tobacco notes. Nice spice and balanced acidity and tannins.
Great Mourvèdre. Ample fruit w some earthy tobacco notes. Nice spice and balanced acidity and tannins.
Oct 4th, 2020I love this one and I’ve had it before, the problem is it has such a high alcohol content we had to leave it open and decanted for almost an entire day just so we weren’t getting that hot wine burn. delicious flavors and very mellow with light tannins, a quality expression of the grape. 
I love this one and I’ve had it before, the problem is it has such a high alcohol content we had to leave it open and decanted for almost an entire day just so we weren’t getting that hot wine burn. delicious flavors and very mellow with light tannins, a quality expression of the grape. 
Jul 19th, 2020
Honestly a great wine hiding behind a kitschy label. There is a ton going on in the nose. Fantastic long finish with enough in all the right places. This one had something special I can’t quite put my finger on.
Honestly a great wine hiding behind a kitschy label. There is a ton going on in the nose. Fantastic long finish with enough in all the right places. This one had something special I can’t quite put my finger on.
Jan 22nd, 2019April Bay Grape pick. Really nice and rich. Strong fruit, smooth.
April Bay Grape pick. Really nice and rich. Strong fruit, smooth.
Apr 18th, 2017
