Hewitson Old Garden Mourvèdre 2020

This wine comes from the oldest Mourvèdre vines on the planet, planted as far back as 1853. Hand harvesting, 70% whole bunches, fermentation in new French oak barriques (which the wine sucked up without a hitch), followed by twenty months in the same barrels. The colour here is a vibrant magenta. The nose has chocolate, red cherry, warm earth and mushroom notes to offer, along with bay leaves and coffee grinds. There is good focus here, right through to those firm tannins on an impressively long finish. I like this and those who enjoy the big and the bold will also be enamoured. A cracking Mourvèdre – there can be few better on the planet – which will offer pleasure for a decade and improve its score over that time.