Cline Cellars Late Harvest Mourvedre - 37.5cl 2021

There's something about sweet red wines - they're perhaps a bit lighter and make an intriguing alternative to Port. This lovely Californian take is made from extra-ripe, late-harvested Mourvèdre, packing in rich flavours of blackberry, dark cherry, and plum. These dark fruit notes are lifted with hints of chocolate, warm spice, and a subtle touch of vanilla from oak ageing, giving it a nicely layered, complex profile. For all its sweetness, it's beautifully balanced, finishing smooth and lingering. A rich yet easy-going dessert wine.

Ideal with a rich chocolate mousse, or try it with blue cheeses - the deep fruitiness and velvety texture work a treat with those indulgent flavours.

Cline Cellars is a family-owned vineyard and winery in Sonoma's Carneros Valley. Established in 1982 by Fred Cline, a descendant of Italian US settlers, he originally founded the winery in Oakley, Contra Costa County, cultivating Rhône varieties and Zinfandel on vines dating back to 1906. In the 1990s, the family moved their winemaking operation to a 350 acre ranch in Carneros Valley, adopting sustainable farming in 2000, and building the largest solar panelled winery in California. While others in California were focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, Fred Cline saw the potential of Rhône varieties and Zinfandel in his vineyards and continues to produce focussed, terroir-driven wines.