Perliss Estate, 'Mythical - Moura', Albarino, Napa Valley, California, 2023

Overview of the Wine
The essence of our Calistoga landscape is expressed in The Ravens Vineyard - a 2.6 acre volcanic knoll, surrounded by forest. The streaming coastal wind & fog, the radiant days and dark, chilly nights, the spectrum of volcanic soil, from tuff to obsidian, combine to yield fruit of complex nature and alluring balance.

The Ravens Vineyard, Calistoga AVA, is set on our family property at the northern-most end of Napa Valley, where the Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges converge. Mount St. Helena looms behind the Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard, planted on a knoll surrounded by forest of oaks, manzanita and madrone. Red-tailed Hawks, Turkey Vultures, and Ravens circle in the warm air currents above the property.

Vineyard rows mount a slope comprised of volcanic, rocky and loamy soil with excellent drainage. Calistoga's temperature shifts are the most extreme in Napa: 24-hour temperatures can range over forty degrees, as cool nights and foggy mornings are followed by dry, sunny days. The vineyard's natural orientation allows for even fruit ripening throughout the growing season and shaded projection when the sun is at its most intense. Cooling breezes and fog from the Sonoma Coast stream into the property through the Chalk Hill Gap.

Low-vigor rootstock was planted in 2008 with the See clone grafted the following year. The closely-planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines are organically farmed and cane-pruned. Birds, bats, and ladybugs help keep the vineyard pest-free.

MYTHICAL, the new project created with our winemaker, Aaron Pott, is now offering its second release - Moura. A stunning, luminous expression of Albariño, a grape native to Galicia and Portugal, Moura is inspired by a myth from the same region: The Enchanted Moura, a seductive, supernatural creature living under a spell.  

According to legend, the Moura would guard urns filled with gold, rewarded to whomever lifted her spell. Fittingly, this golden wine was created in Tuscan terracotta amphorae, allowing purity of fruit to shine forth.

Organic

Winemaker
Aaron Pott

Grape / Blend
Albarino

Origin
Napa Valley, California

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Redolent of pear and tropical fruits, an alluring marine note also courses through Moura, resonating ideally with seafood, but adaptable to a wide range of dishes.

This particular liquid tale from Aaron Pott began in a vineyard influenced by the nearby riparian landscape, the Uptown Ranch, in Lodi. Native yeast fermentation captures the essence of the site and imparts a trace of wildness. The 2023 vintage is indeed of fairytale quality.

94 Points - The Wine Palate
The 2023 Moura Albarino is made entirely in Tuscan terracotta. It comes tearing out of the glass with bright, pure notes of fresh pears and persimmons, followed by hints of aniseed and honeysuckle with a touch of chalk dust. The medium-bodied palate is lively and silky with wonderfully defined orchard fruit flavors and a honey-kissed finish.

93 Points - James Suckling
Aromas of peaches, Asian pears, honeysuckle and fresh herbs. The palate is medium-bodied with a textural mouthfeel and balanced acidity, giving flavors of nectarines, orange sherbet, baking spices and grapefruit rind. There is lovely weight to the wine, with a slight phenolic grip that adds to the structure. Drink or hold.

91 Points - Vinous
The 2023 Moura, 100% Albarino from Lodi, is bright and focused with lovely phenolic grip. This is very nicely done.

90 Points - Wine Advocate
Picked at relatively low sugar levels to preserve acidity and made in a combination of clay and stainless steel vessels, Mythical's 2023 Albariño boasts bold melon, pear and lime aromas. It's medium to full-bodied, rather rich and fleshy, ripe and peachy, with notes of lime and brine on the finish.

Product size: 750ml