Mending Wall NV Mortar & Stone Proprietary Red, Napa Valley

Mending Wall Winery is a partnership between three owners: Frank Dotzler (one of the co-founders of Outpost Winery), Mark Pulido and Donna Walker (owners of Pulido-Walker Wine), and well-regarded winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. That said, this venture continues to deliver “must-have” wines!

This latest “Mortar & Stone” release is a real revelation. The wine is a blend of two vintages (70%) 2019 and (30%) 2020 vintage (that is all they were able to harvest before the fires), but the fruit quality was amazing, with dense flavors and heightened tannic expression.  The Zinfandel from high atop Atlas Peak is robust, showy mountain fruit. Vines in the historic Mountain Peak vineyard produce some of the most impressive berries we’ve seen in this varietal, nicely structured, and spicy rather than super jammy. That spice component pairs beautifully with the final vintage of our estate Syrah. Once again, the venerable Palisades Vineyard Petite Sirah completes the blend, lending a tannic backbone and deep, black color.

Robert Parker deemed this wine “sexy”, and we heartily agree. It has a seductive appeal—dark, sultry, moody in the very best ways—with a good balance between earthy inputs and luscious fruit notes. The wine also has enormous aging potential. Those who drink it young will want to decant it for a few hours. Putting a few bottles away to revisit in five or ten years will reward those who can wait

Winemaker Notes: “This wine expresses layers of concentrated fruit, and exotic spice notes, displaying a deep purple in color in the glass. A wave of aromatic notes suggests blackberry reduction, black licorice, cinnamon, and spearmint. The palate has a satin-like mouth feel with finely integrated tannins. Vivid notes of bramble, savory meat, rosemary, and white pepper come to life and fan out across the elongated trajectory. This wine is approachable now and will drink well for the next decade.”