2020 Birichino 'Little Big Block Vineyard' Mourvedre, Contra Costa County   

This dry-farmed site produces a darker, more exotically pungent wine than that relied upon for previous vintages, suggesting black fruits, hothouse flowers and the subtle yet undeniable fragrance of marzipan found in many of Contra Costa’s best bottles. Whereas mourvèdre harvests in Bandol and San Benito typically extend well into October, this pre-dawn pick in 2019 was relatively late for Contra Costa, with a rare foray into the first week of September.