The Withers Ruben

The Withers Ruben El Dorado Mourvèdre Blend 2013: While it’s more typical to lead your Rhône blend with grenache, the very talented team at The Withers (the tallest part of the horse, hence wines that aim high) has opted to feature mourvèdre (82% of the blend) in this MGS, as it were. That makes Ruben deep, dark, and delicious, with enticing earthy and brambly notes.

It’s not a brooder, though. Withers prefers cool-climate wines, and their Sierra Foothills vineyards are all high elevation. That means Ruben is very nuanced, too (the other varietals help with that rounding, of course), and is only 13.8% alcohol. You end up with a bottle that complements many a meaty meal, such as braised lamb shanks or a duck sausage.

See thewitherswinery.com.