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Vibrant MoorVAYdruh
Hi Wine Friends~
What I love about wine is the same thing that I love about all four of my professions to date: teaching, real estate, personnel management and raising kids. You're constantly learning, no two experiences are alike, it's all about the moment, and it's quite humbling. The first time I tasted Mourvedre in the fall of 2009 (when I was still pronouncing it MO VED RUH), I remember thinking "where have I been all my life" and "Ummmm, not sure I like this", all at the same time. Steve meanwhile was enjoying both his wine and his antipasto plate with zeal. "I do," he said. "It's got a little of that earthy taste I like in Pinots." O.K. he had me. It was my pre-earthy loving days. I was closed. As soon as the tiniest bit of funk came in, my taste buds walked out. "Fruit bombs! Fruit bombs!" my taste buds bellowed as they marched away. I have to say, it wasn't until August 6, 2011 when I read Paul Gregutt's Seattle TImes article "Mourvedre is making its move" in the Sunday paper that I decided I would be a fool not to learn more about this varietal. Thank you Paul for the nudge and Derek DesVoigne at Cuillin Hills for making it such a delightful experience in palatine expansion.
If you bing/google Cuillin Hills as I did when I was in the UK over Christmas, after the Cuillin HIlls winery website pops up, you'd find a wikipedia link with this description: 
"The Cuillin are a range of rocky mountains located on the Isle of Skye in the North West of Scotland. They are divided, visually and geologically into two distinct groups, the Red Cuillin and the Black Cuillin. The Red Cuillin are lower and, being less rocky, have fewer scrambles or climbs. Generally they receive less attention than their higher neighbours, and consequently the word Cuillin without a colour prefixed is often taken to mean the Black Cuillin."
The Black Cuillin on the Isle of Skye is the site of many clan wars, climbing accidents and the most magnificent skyline in Scotland. Beautiful but dark, brooding, and atmospheric are adjectives used to describe the Black Cuillin, and words I would use to describe Derek's Des Voigne's Mourvedre. This 80% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah blend from Stillwater Creek and Meek vineyards, is full of black fruits--blackberry, black currant, black cherry, with touches of white pepper and spice, and that minerality that hints of earth. The blending with 20% Syrah was definitely a good move on Derek's part. I shared a bottle of this with one of my Syrah loving girlfriends and she's now a believer. I love the fine grained tannins of this wine, its pure finish, and the way it transports you to somewhere very far away.
Derek, I would not describe as dark and brooding or Mourvedre-like. To the casual observer anyway, he's more Viognier-like: bright and lively. Leprechaunish, oh yeah, that's Ireland--sorry, wrong country. Anyway, he does always seem to have a mischievous smile on his face and he's constantly in motion.
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Bob, Fred and Paul enjoying Mourvedre and Viognier at Cuillin HIlls |
Thus, the pictures I've taken at the Cuillin Hills tasting room in Woodinville are not photos of Derek, but photos of happy tasters, and there were a lot of those at his Viognier release and Cab pre-sale event in November. The only photos I have of Derek, I've copied from the Cuillin Hills facebook page.
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Derek DesVoigne |
But back to his wine. The Viognier is floral on the nose, white flowers and pear with tastes of honey, peach, and a touch of vanilla. The acids are very firm and the wine is well-balanced. This winter white is like the ray of sunshine lighting up a snow covered peak. Stick a bottle in your backpack if you're planning a winter picnic after snow shoeing or cross-country skiing. Or, for those sedentary readers, stick it in your backpack with your best book to enjoy in the lodge in front of a warm fire.
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Tom, Nancy, & Rosemary Happy Tasters at Cuillin Hills WInery |
So why is the winery called Cuillin Hills? Derek's wife Shannon is a McLeod, a clan from the Cuillin Hills where they fought battles and lived there for centuries. Derek and Shannon visited there years ago and fell in love with the beauty of The Cuillin Hills. On my next trip to the UK, I'll definitely be visiting Scotland and hiking in those hills. Until then, I'll close my eyes and sip Derek's Mourvedre and Viognier, and imagine all the history and mystery of the Black Cuillin through the art of one talented Washington winemaker.
Cheers!
Becky
Cuillin Hills $29/btl |
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Ordering Wine
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Thank you for purchasing wine from Vibrant Vine Wine. We donate one dollar for every bottle of wine purchased from us to *Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle through an unrestricted donation for breast cancer research and prevention programs. We appreciate your support of this important effort to help those battling this disease. Cheers to them, and cheers to you!
*Research indicates that those who choose to drink alcohol should do so in moderation only as part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which should also include regular cancer screening, good nutrition and regular physical activity. People who are concerned about their cancer risk should talk to their health care provider.
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