15 Nov Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Boutz Cellars 2019 Dasos Mourvèdre, Boutz Ranch Vineyard, Adelaida District, Paso Robles

Mourvèdre is often used to add weight and structure to a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. As a stand-alone grape, Mourvèdre typically offers a  full-bodied and rustic wine that satisfies Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers. But as I sipped the Boutz Cellars 2019 Dasos Mourvèdre, I was struck by the acidity in the wine. Yes it was full-bodied and meaty but it also had beautiful acidity that sang. That is why the Boutz Cellars 2019 Dasos Mourvèdre from Paso Robles is the Please The Palate wine of the week.

About Boutz Cellars

Boutz Cellars is a family business run by father and son James and Manoli Boutzoukas. James Boutzoukas was raised in New York but is of Greek origin and took trips as a child to visit his family in Greece. It was in Greece that James had his first introduction to wine. James married his wife Mia and they settled in Florida, where James worked in the bridge repair industry. But he also started making wine in his garage, first with grape concentrates and then with California grapes sent to Florida. Wine became a passion and James and his wife had visited Paso Robles often. The catalyst for moving to California was after they bought a walnut farm on a whim in 2017 in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles. With a background in ironworking, James’ son Manoli decided he wanted to be a farmer. He did an internship in Paso Robles in 2017 and was then studying agriculture at a university in Northern Utah. He called his father and proposed growing grapes on their property in Paso Robles. Located in the center of the Adelaida District AVA, the walnut farm was named Kendros Vineyard.  “Kendros” means “center” in Greek, and connects to the Boutzoukas family, whose name originated from Mount Kendros in Crete, Greece. In 2019, they planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Grenache at Kendros Vineyard. In 2019, they also purchased an additional 36 acres in the Adelaida District. They named the vineyard Boutz Ranch and redeveloped 14 acres. At Boutz Ranch, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Mourvèdre are planted, as well as the Greek varieties Moscofilero, Assyrtiko, Agriogitiko, Xinomavro, and Vidiano. The Boutzoukas have a total of 52 acres under vine and sell much of their grapes to wineries, such as Justin, Daou, Eberly, and LAW, for their top wines.

Tasting Notes

The 2019 vintage is the first vintage of Boutz Cellar wines from their own vineyards. The Mourvèdre is called Dasos, which means “forest” in Greek. The label image, designed by James’ daughter and Manoli’s sister Maria, comes from a photo of Manoli walking in the woods in the family’s tree farm in Florida, after the trees were burned in a fire. The 2019 Mourvèdre is aged for 18 months in neutral oak, 50% American oak and 50% French oak. The full-bodied wine has notes of dark red forest fruits and forest floor, as well as dried cranberries, mushrooms, and earth. But this is an acid-driven Mourvèdre that is lighter and fresher than others I have had.

Food Pairing

The Boutz Cellars 2019 Dasos Mourvèdre is a very approachable and very drinkable wine. Enjoy it with charcuterie, pepper-crusted seared ahi tuna, or grilled steak, as I did.

Where to Purchase

Only 100 cases of the 2019 Mourvèdre were made. The wine retails for $32 and can be purchased on the Boutz Cellars website.