2022 Vanguardist Mourvedre

96 POINTS

Marcus Ellis - Halliday Wine Companion

The fruit comes off Yangarra’s biodynamic vineyard; 30% whole bunches, a couple of months in puncheon then 16 months in foudre before assembly and two months of cohesion in tank before bottling. This is a revelation, trading in the grape’s commonly gruff and rugged facade for something more perfumed and serene, but without losing connection to varietal fidelity. Violet, lavender and rose hover over a melange of weightless blue, black and red fruits accented with hard herbs, dusty spice notes, new leather, slate, iodine and pepper. It’s mid-weight with a supple, seductive mid-palate and expansive perfume in the mouth followed by an assured anchoring of fine natural stem/skin/seed tannins. As said, it’s a revelation.

95 POINTS

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

Signature of classic Mataro rides high here. It’s meaty, orange peel and lavender, blue and black fruit, dried herb and spice, some liquorice. Medium-bodied, feel the tactile grip of tannin, the wild savoury meat and herb flavours, black olive, delicious grainy chew to it, and beef jerky. It’s taking a walk on the wild side, with a dry silty tannin finish of excellent length. It’s earthy and assertive. You want it darker? I’m ready my Lord.

95 POINTS

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

I just realised that MJC sent the 2021 Mataro in alongside the 2022, so I noticed that I had the 2021 in the glass, so now the 2022. 2800 bottled produced. 30% whole bunch. From the Yangarra Vineyard, a stones through away from Rende (source of Grenache). Tasted alongside the (excellent) 2021, and this wine a little more fleshy and savoury, a little less cool and ‘minerally’, perhaps. Signature of classic Mataro rides high here. It’s meaty, orange peel and lavender, blue and black fruit, dried herb and spice, some liquorice. Medium-bodied, feel the tactile grip of tannin, the wild savoury meat and herb flavours, black olive, delicious grainy chew to it, and beef jerky. It’s taking a walk on the wild side, with a dry silty tannin finish of excellent length. It’s earthy and assertive. You want it darker? I’m ready my Lord.

95 POINTS

Erin Larkin - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2022 Mourvèdre hails from the hallowed Blewitt Springs and leads with roses and blood, rust and brine, layers of licorice, sarsaparilla and mulberries (straight from the tree, in summer). On the palate, the wine is fresh, spicy and super polished without feeling glossy or buffed. It is seamless and vibrant. It's most "un-Mourvèdre"-like. What a wine. There's Satsuma plum and black cherry, and it's a little nervous in its own way but also delicate and possessed of a most attractive splay of tannin through the finish. 14.1% alcohol, sealed under Diam.