TN: 2013 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvedre Shake Ridge Ranch

scott_davis · March 11, 2019, 2:16am

The kids are on spring break starting this week, so it seemed like a good night to grill some homemade burgers (even though it’s still only 40 degrees). Nonetheless, this D&R went great with the burgers, and right now, it drinking great on it’s own.

2013 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvedre Shake Ridge Ranch - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County (3/10/2019)
Light to medium red in color, with aromas of red fruits, rose petal, and cedar. In the mouth, dried cherry, smoky game, and cedar flavors are seamless yet distinct, pleasing, and not weighty. Tannins build on the medium-long finish. This wine is fun and serious at the same time, and certainly pleasing to drink. (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

larry_schaffer · March 11, 2019, 2:24am

Had a chance to try a few of Hardys 2013s at Falltacular and I really enjoyed them. They are in a great place - drink up!

Cheers

Markus_S · March 11, 2019, 11:37am

So people were right saying these really won’t last that long?

David_Bu3ker · March 11, 2019, 11:41am

That’s not what Larry said.

Drew_Goin · March 11, 2019, 12:24pm

Thanks for the tasting note!!

larry_schaffer · March 11, 2019, 2:24pm

Marcus,

As David mentioned, that’s not what I am saying. What I AM saying again is that these 2013s, based on what I tasted at Falltacular, are in a very good place right now. I think they still have some time ahead of them, but even Hardy will acknowledge that one never knows how far out a bottle will go.

Will these be ‘enjoyable’ 20 years from now? Who know - seriously. And that really must be said about lots of wine these days - including the ones that I produce. I could ‘use marketing’ and tell you that you can ‘safely’ lay my wines down for a few decades but guess what - I’ve only been making wines for 13 years so do I really know?

Cheers.

Markus_S · March 11, 2019, 2:30pm

Okay, thanks for the clarification. Maybe I was reading too much into your comment, but I have heard from others that these wines are made to drink young and fresh with the implication that you don’t want to age them. I’m not expecting these to age like Tempier (although that would be nice!) and my interactions with D&R have seemed to suggest short-midterm aging. Appreciate your input!

larry_schaffer · March 11, 2019, 3:00pm

Marcus,

Again, I’m not Hardy and don’t want to speak for him. I also have ‘heard’ that these wines ‘are not meant’ for long term aging, but I’m not sure what to make of that. Define ‘long term’? Will they last as long as some of the best Tempier’s? Not sure. What I will say is that I enjoyed these 13’s more than I enjoyed the younger releases that I tried that day - and that could have been for a number of factors . . .

Cheers.

H_Wallace_Jr · March 19, 2019, 4:05am

Scott,
Thanks for the note! I’m glad you dug the '13. After trying one a few weeks ago, it is in a happy spot right now.

Hi Markus, thanks for the input. It really depends on which wine and what you want from it. Our intention is for our vineyard designates to have the structure to become more interesting with years in the bottle and for our Familiar / Unfamiliar and Especial wines to be enjoyed in their youth. They are pretty different wines.

We’ve only been at it for 9yrs, so I can’t say definitively they’ll go 15-25+ years, but I do get a chance to pop older ones. I know what they tasted like going into bottle, and taste how they’ve changed over time (and at what rate / pace), so I can attempt semi-educated guesses.

All that being said, I think a lot of our customers choose to drink or vineyard designates early because they think they are delicious and they want to share them vs. not thinking they will last.