What's the HoseMaster Drinking?

Villa Creek 2007 Mourvedre "Damas Noir" Paso Robles


Mourvedre has more names than P. Diddy. Mourvedre also goes by Monastrell, Mataro, Balzac (there's no honore in that), Alicante, Torrentes, Pee Wee Herman, about 35 other names, and the abovementioned Damas Noir. The grape itself, whatever damn name you choose to call it, is a very late ripening grape, one of the last grapes harvested. This, naturally, makes it difficult to ripen. In California, it's often picked around Halloween when the weather is beginning to get sketchy, the sun is getting lower in the sky, and we set our clocks back an hour in order to confuse the employees at WalMart. So one would assume it would do well in Paso Robles, a relatively hot appellation. The Villa Creek 2007 Mourvedre confirms that assumption. No problem with ripeness here, it's riper than Rush Limbaugh's jockstrap. But this probably isn't a wine for everyone, not that anyone goes out and buys a wine I like, that would be crazy, I'm not a Brix Chick, though I do love a nice breast that's been grilled under a brick, which has to hurt, because it does have some of the typical Mourvedre meatiness that isn't everyone's cup of jerky. The closest fruit that comes to mind is blackberries when I sip this, but it's the leathery, meaty, rustic character that dominates. I wish it had a bit more elegance, which the great Mourvedres can possess, but elegance and Paso Robles go together like class and the Oakland Raiders. If you're not familiar with the wines of Villa Creek, you're missing out on one of the best wine producers in Paso Robles, and if you like big, fruit-filled, bombastic wines, then get on their mailing list. Their wines are about as shy as Sasha Grey. I drank this baby with some chicken thighs, hold the bricks. Bad combination, it insulted the chicken's thighs, and nothing makes a chicken lose its tenderness quicker than that.


The HoseMaster Score 654,987 points

Disclaimer: I paid $40 for this wine out of my own pocket because no one is stupid enough, not even winery marketing people, to send me free samples. This product should be kept out of the reach of small children and Tim Fish.