Mourvèdre
Long mysterious about its origins and considered a simple auxiliary grape variety, Mourvèdre is now widely cultivated in the southern Rhône valley, on the well-exposed hillsides of the South. Monastrell, as it is called in Spain, is a grape variety that loves hot terroirs! Sometimes rough, but warm and unrivaled, it produces a powerful, ample, tannic wine, yet of great finesse. Unmissable, it still seems to have some nice surprises in store… and since 2002 it has had its own “Conservatory of the Mourvèdre grape variety”.
Informations
Origin: Spain (Catalunya)
Location within the Rhône Valley: Southern Rhône Valley
Plantings within the Rhône Valley AOCs: About 2 500 hectares
In the vineyards
Ampelography: Round and serrated leaf, the very hairy underside appears almost white
Bunch and berries: Medium to large clusters, with medium and round berries, with a thick skin, bluish black when ripe
Maturity: Very late budding, late-ripening
Characteristics: Vigorous, productive grape variety, but very sensitive to wood diseases. To reach maturity, which is quite slow, it needs a lot of heat and light over a long period. Its yields can be high, so it requires skilled pruning.
Terroir: Warm, early terroirs, with a good water reserve. Vigorous, it adapts well to poor soils and tolerates southern winds.
In the cellars
Characteristics: This grape variety has a strong personality, is often underestimated, and produces a very colourful, full-bodied and structured wine. Its tannins are tight, with excellent aging potential, in red wines. Young, its wines have aromas of pepper and black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry) with vegetal touches of garrigue or bay leaf. As they age (around 5 years), they evolve towards rounder notes and more complex aromas. When tasting, notes of truffle, leather, jammy fruits (prune, blackberry and blueberry) appear, but also beautiful scents of game and spices. In rosé, it prolongs freshness and enriches the aromas.
Wine styles: Still dry red and rosé wines
Fun facts
Mourvèdre is the 4th most planted grape variety in the Rhône Valley, behind Grenache noir, Syrah and Carignan.
If the precise history of Mourvèdre remains mysterious (a few imprecise sources relate its presence 4 centuries ago), it nevertheless seems to originate in Spain. It is assumed to have a link with the Mataro grape variety, which is widely cultivated there, particularly in Catalonia. Its French name could be a derivative of the name of the municipality Murviedro, located in the province of Valencia. The only certainty we have is that it was still cultivated in the South and South-East of France and that its production areas were much larger before the phylloxera crisis. To encounter it in the Rhône regions, look for – among others – Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Beaumes de Venise…