2016 Three Wine Company Mataro Spinelli Vineyard Contra Costa County 750 ml

Back in the mid-1980s, a young Matt Cline discovered a five-acre Mourvèdre parcel improbably planted on Delhi sandy loam east of the San Francisco Bay. Already an old-vine enthusiast, he was intrigued by the gnarled, tree-like vines growing on what looked like pure beach sand. 

On a whim, he agreed to experiment with these aged wonders that spidered along the ground, hoping to protect themselves from the bay’s breeze. His first harvest, the plants produced just a few clusters each, barely enough to make a single-vineyard release. We remember that first Mourvèdre from Spinelli Vineyard: It wasn't just good, it was spectacular.

Established over 130 years prior to this vintage, the Spinelli vineyard is still dry farmed and its vines grow on their own roots. Matt called the Mourvèdre from his patch in the vineyard “Mataro” as an homage to the name used by the Spanish missionaries who brought the grapes to California. 

Like the tradition of field blends, old vines, and dry farming, a dash of Mataro is the secret behind many of the world’s greatest wines.  It's the invisible magic in Xavier Vignon's Châteauneuf-du-Pape "Anonyme" and the essence of Beaucastel's "Hommage à Jacques Perrin," Robert Parker's 100-point elixir. When Mourvèdre grows atop fine, sandy soil, no variety combines such a combination of dark-red fruit and chameleon-like complexity.

In 2016, Matt again crafted a few hundred cases of pure Mataro off that five-acre patch, making a rare old-vine American red that combines New World bombast with Old World tradition.  Impressively textured, the wine is replete with high-toned red-fruit intensity and an ethereal aromatic delicacy—and it’s nearly impossible to resist, especially alongside a ribeye or juicy burger.