Jim Fore tends to shrug off any suggestion of a skilled hand. Point out the thought and effort involved in crafting a fine wine and he deflects the idea with an ‘I just let it grow’ or ‘maybe I’m getting the hang of this.’
But a sip of his 2013 Fore Family Mourvedre and you’ll suspect a canny winemaker hides behind all that humility.
The varietal is notorious for its muscle-bound brawn, to start with. Also bulging with tannins, most prefer to blend Mourvedre with softer grapes. And the vines can be stubborn, almost demanding full sun and often refusing to yield the volume winemakers desire.
“Some years it seems to struggle,” Fore admitted of his Mourvedre block. “But the last few years have been good.”
By good, he clearly means extraordinary.
Instead of potent dark fruit, handfuls of dark earth balanced by wisps of blooming flowers — violets, for the most part — dominate on the nose. Oh, the fruit is there, weathered and cracking. Yet a more open fragrance prevails, with hints of salt marsh and waving grass working into the senses.
Unless tamed, Mourvedre can pummel the palate with dark fruit while the tannins draw moisture away. Somehow Fore created a bold, full bodied, yet almost delicately balanced wine.
It is dark and earthen — a grounded savor loaded with overripe fruits such as blackberry and blueberry. And this meaty impression is improved by a wealth of smoked spice. Pricks of black pepper work to almost brighten the tone. Released from your deep reverie, you notice the Mourvedre’s gentler side, as split wood and floral notes emerge.
What starts as a low drum roll finishes with a brass fanfare — bright plum and a hint of candied pineapple.
This is a wine to rival Cabernet Sauvignon, but it’s a Mourvedre.
“That’s Lake County — Cobb Mountain,” Fore said with another shrug, crediting terroir for the outcome.
Fore planted the varietal at 3,000 feet, one of the highest elevation vineyards in the county. The vines occupy a plot bathed in morning sun that cools in the evening. But producing the Fore Family 2013 Mourvedre required a little more than just heat and soil.
“The trick is to get it really ripe,” Fore said.
He harvested the 2013 at 25 brix, which was spot on target. He and his team then treated it as any hearty red, tucking it into French oak. But he made the decision to limit the new staves and rely on a high percentage of neutral wood.
“It’s big and powerful enough as it is,” Fore explained. “Why complicate it with a bunch of barrel?”
Despite its reputation as a blending varietal, Mourvedre is finding favor as a standalone. The market is growing more adventurous, for one, and winemakers like Fore are learning to do more than just tolerate the grape’s bold character.
Fore filled only 100 cases of the outstanding 2013 Mourvedre, selling the remaining crop (keeping some for his award winning GSM, a blend involving the grape). But the 2014 turned out well and the current crop beat back an early frost to thrive. He is considering ramping up production under the Fore Family label.
“I like it,” Fore said of his wine. “This one can stand on its own.”
