Grape Variety: Mourvedre

Colour: Red

Mourvèdre is grown around the world. In Portugal and the New World it is known as Mataró, whilst in some parts of France it enjoys the funky sobriquet of Estrangle-Chien ("dog strangler"). Pint of Dogstrangler, my good innkeep! In Spain it is known more prosaically as Monastrell.

The names Mataró and Mourvèdre probably come from the towns of Mataro in Cataluna and Murviedro near Valencia respectively. Though the origin of the grape may be Catalonian or Spanish, the name Mourvèdre is of French derivation. The grape was recognised in the 16th century, and spread eastwards towards the Rhone. It was hit hard by the phylloxera epidemic, but has been increasing in popularity of late.

It’s worth emphasizing certain characteristics of the variety. The old saying “Mourvèdre needs its feet in water, head up to the sun and to see the sea” should be interpreted cautiously. However, the right balance of sunshine and rainfall/humidity is a critical factor as it favours particular conditions in terms of microclimate, proximity to water or high ground, and soil composition.

Other features include strong growth that dictates the need for natural or imposed limitations in the vineyard, and tannin properties that demand precise phenolic ripeness and extraction. Mourvèdre. As Mourvèdre is very late to ripen, so the proximity to a large body of water such as the Mediterranean is highly beneficial. The berries are medium-sized and blue-black in colour, with thick skins is often described as reductive and animal or gamey, which may derive from the variety itself and/or traditional vinification and maturation methods.

Mourvèdre is widespread across the Mediterranean coast of southern France, where it is a notable component of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. It was once the most popular grape in Provence but is now much less common there with the exception of Bandol, where it has found a natural home, producing powerful red wines. Model soils for regulating drainage, vigour and ripening show a balance of limestone, sand and/or gravel with some clay.

One of the reference estates in Bandol is Chateau de Pibarnon. The hill whereon the vineyard parcels are located is a geographical oddity, containing Triassic limestone – very different to the granite and other soils in the region. This and the altitude to 300 metres explain Pibarnon’s great elegance and aromatic finesse. The Mourvèdre vines are protected from the fierce Mistral by the semi-circular amphitheatre of terraces. Vineyards tasks are carried out by hand: severe selection means low yields. There is rigorous adherence to quality in the vineyard, including careful (and traditional) gobelet training, green harvesting (removal and disposal of some bunches of grapes from the vine before ripening begins) and keeping yields less than 40 hl/ha. The vines themselves are predominantly Mourvèdre, this grape dominating the red wine that is the only such wine produced by the chateau – no super-cuvées here.

The winemaking for the red is traditional with three weeks vatting and daily pigeage to obtain dark colour and long potential lifespan. The wine is then matured in large oak barrels for eighteen months with up to fourteen rackings to air the Mourvèdre. Initially, Pibarnon is vibrant with stone-fruit, blackberry and violet aromas, but subsequently develops sophisticated secondary aromas of tobacco, leather, pine, and dried fruits. “From Bandol, tart in the finish, a little too flinty for my companion, but my teeth appreciate a hint of limestone in a grape. There is something manly and voracious in it somehow, as though one is drinking the rocky underpinning of the planet.” (Howard Jacobson) Unique, tongue-larruping wine to be tried with grilled meats, venison, hare, truffles and goat’s cheese. Alternatively, put this in a dark corner of the cellar and forget about it for five years.

Cedric Gravier (Domaine La Suffrene) makes a more powerful style of Bandol. His straight Bandol Rouge contains about 50% Mourvedre with roughly equal proportions of Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan. Cuvee Les Lauves is a selection of vines from the best terroir and is 95% Mourvèdre and 5% old Carignan. All the red wines undergo malolactic fermentation and none of them sees any new oak instead spending time in foudres. A natural with wild boar, saddle of lamb with herbs and truffles.

Collioure is considered to have some of the finest wines in the south of France, an unsurprising fact when you realise that its yields are some of the lowest in France. The version from Les Clos de Paulilles (Estelle Daure), is a dark red wine, made from Mourvèdre (90%) and Syrah (10%), with heady aromas of over-ripe fruits and spices. Try with Baixas fraginat (beef in a red pepper and tomato sauce) or Thomas Mann’s Death-in-Venison.