Bedrock Wine Company, Ode to Lucien' Red, 2019

Ode to Lucien is Bedrock's tribute to Lucien Peyraud, the man who put Bandol on the map at Domaine Tempier, and it's made only in years when the old-vine Mourvèdre delivers. It's a Bandol-inspired blend built around old-vine Mourvèdre (roughly three-quarters) with Grenache and a splash of Syrah or Counoise, drawing on heritage California sites including the sandy Evangelho Vineyard and Gibson Ranch's ancient Grenache. Native-yeast fermentation and a measured touch of oak keep it savory and structured rather than showy. This is Mourvèdre flexing its muscle: meaty, earthy, and built for the table or the cellar.