We are very excited about our wine which we blended and worked on with Andy Barns of Mischa fame. One of the elements in the red blend will be Mourvèdre. After languishing in the wilderness for a while, Mourvèdre is now on the verge of becoming hip. It’s in the new world where the real image change is taking place, and in particular California and Australia. It used to be Mataro, a spotty teenager with a crap social life. But it’s undergone an image makeover, metamorphosing into Mourvèdre, the grape that everyone wants to know. It’s been invited to the party.

Its spiritual home is Provence’s Bandol region, which itself has undergone a revolution in the last thirty years. Led by Lucien Peyraud’s Domaine Tempier, Bandol now boasts a clutch of dynamic, aspiring producers, including the likes of Lafran Veyrolles, Gros’ Noré, Pibarnon and Begude. By law, Bandol Rouge must now contain at least 50% Mourvèdre, but many serious producers will use more than this.

But it is Spain that grows the lion’s share of Mourvèdre. Known there as Monastrell, it’s the second most widely grown grape, after Garnacha (Grenache). Producers there are just beginning to wake up to Mourvèdre’s new cachet; will we soon see a wave of varietal Mourvèdres from Spain marketed by the grape’s French name?

All is not rosy, however. Mourvedre is a challenging grape to grow. The yield is irregular, and it has a reputation for ‘alternance’, whereby one year produces a good yield, followed by a poor yield the next. And whereas most grapes produce a commercial yield in three to five years, you can be waiting as long as 10 years for Mourvèdre to deliver. But small yields do deliver good colour, and when it’s not excessively astringent and ripens properly (it needs warm climates), it makes some fairly serious wine.

What are the flavour characteristics of Mourvèdre? Look for leathery, herby, spicy notes on the nose. In the new world there is often some sweetness, too. On the palate think savoury. Part of the reason that this has been so successful as a blending grape is that it provides a spicy, savoury structure that complements the richness of Grenache and Syrah grown in warm climates. It’s not an excessively fruity grape, and in some cases can contribute slightly gamey, almost animal-like flavours, especially in younger wines.

Mourvedre buds and ripens extremely late. Provided the climate is nice and hot, as it is in our region and certainly this past summer, the vigorous Mourvedre adapts well to a wide range of soils. This thick-skinned grape, when fully ripened, can produce a heady wine with wonderful longevity. Wine made from Mourvedre is intensely colored, rich and smooth, with nice fruit, and a sort of earthiness when young, and matures so nicely as it ages. Mourvedre produces a wine with some structure and backbone. It is fleshier than Syrah, hardier than Grenache and Cinsault, and more charming than Carignan. Mourvedre is often improved by the structure, spice and tannin of Syrah, the warmth and fruit of Grenache, the spice of Cinsault, and the acidity and tannin of Carignan.

- Cépage de cuve noir, originaire d’Espagne.

- Ses feuilles vert clair sont tourmentées, épaisses et très brillantes.

- Ses grappes moyennes à grandes sont compactes et tronconique.

- Les baies de Grenache ont une pellicule épaisse et craquante à la pulpe fondante.

- Son jus incolore est abondant.

- Les meilleurs vins sont obtenus dans des sols maigres et caillouteux.

- Les vins sont alors très alcooliques, nerveux, d’une belle couleur rouge mordorée.

- Vinifié seul, le vin de grenache vieillit vite et s’oxyde en prenant le gout de rancio.

- Au contraire, pour des vins de garde, il faut prévoir l’emploi de raisins d’autres cépages donnant plus de corps comme la Syrah ou le Mourvèdre