Mourvèdre reached a cult status in the last 20 years especially among the elite wines produced in the Paso Robles region, and surrounding areas because it was artfully blended into some of the sought after, top cuvee’s of the area. Up north (in California) I see it more as a diversifying factor to many of the great GSMs that exist in both the coastal and interior regions, that are close to home. Some wineries produced it mainly as as adder for some of the very best wines that the drier, hotter regions could produce. Mourvèdre can hang tough with the sometimes brutally hot summers of Northern California. Its thick skin helping it cope.
Oregon’s Willamette Valley is not ready for Mourvèdre just yet. Give climate warming some more time. However, it can be found in the Rogue River regions of Southern Oregon which are plenty hot enough now. This area produces some Mourvèdre’s as well.
Mourvèdre goes from spicy, to sultry, to earthy, and deeply so, but can also be subtle, lively and herbaceous. It is hard to pin point Mourvedre, in all of its directions. It has surprised me, both for its acid and its tannin. But maybe now as Mourvedre gets ever more serious and pricey, we are catering more to the Cabernet drinker that loves tannin rich wine. So the winemakers respond, and the varietal has moved far beyond obscurity and lower price points, to a more serious varietal. Spice, and a bit of herbals and earthiness are the distinct characteristics you should always find in a good Mourvèdre/Monastrell. Monastrell, wait what is that?
In the under-rated geographic zone, and for the budget minded, maybe it is time to find out about Monastrell. From a region than rarely overcharges for wine, Spain. Spain offers excellent export bottles of this varietal, which in Spain is called Monastrell. Jumilla, is a wine region that is expressly committed to producing the Monastrell grape, and some very elegant ones often mixed with Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, or perhaps 100% Monastrell. It is worth searching out some wines from Jumilla Spain, I have yet to be disappointed, especially in the $10-20 price point that is often what is “exported”.
However you discover Mourvedre, and whatever price point, the spectrum’s are vast. Be sure to open up the wine for a while it will change on you to something new. Mourvèdre is often one of the wines most receptive to decanting, and of course to serving with a rich spice filled meal.
So where do you go for some varietal focused Mourvèdre in California? Well you can hit up Tablas Creek which has a more Rhone like (lighter, elegant) rendition, or you can go with something more dark, rich and complex. I would rate the Miraflores Mourvedre right up there into the mid 90’s, and it still delivers wine in that sweet spot of $14-$44 range. These two wineries know Mourvedre very well. Tablas Creek is the grandfather of Rhone varietals within California. A truly exceptional winery, with a lab, an amazing staff and the support of the Perrin family that birthed modern Rhone varietals within the State of California.
Oak is purely additive to the complexity of this varietal. How often is oak not overdone? Not often enough, and when you jump into the Mourvèdre pool this becomes especially important. You want a vintage of Mourvèdre that has limited oak added to it. Miraflores and of course Tablas Creek which never overdoes the oak from my experience, is key to an exceptional wine. Also they pick the wine when it just ripe. All critical factors in creating a wine that stands on its fruit and terroir first.
One of the best times to visit Miraflores winery, high on the Pleasant Valley trails of Placerville is during a vertical event for their many Syrah’s. Miraflores prides itself on its #1 grape, Syrah. You’ll come to appreciate how this winery has matured over time, and that their wine is very complex and gastronomic, especially in the newer vintages. The vineyard manager has taken over as winemaker, and collaborates with a veteran winemaker. Together they have moved this winery forward for the better.
Holly’s Hill is rare in that its number one varietal in terms of total acreage planted is, you guessed it, Mourvèdre. This is a winery that sourced from the Tablas Creek nursery some 20 plus years ago. It is hard to find Mourvèdre in the state of California, at least in great volume, and so this focus on Mourvèdre as the lead varietal is quite an exception, and Carrie and Josh Bendick the winemakers continue to experiment deeply with this varietal. Make sure after Miraflores you hop on over to Holly’s Hill or vice-versa. The El Dorado County, Pleasant Valley wine trail is a short one after all. Missing these two wineries on a quest for Mourvèdre in Northern California would be a miss.
Mourvedre is sometimes gamey, salty, with earthy stones and flavor tones, and hopefully “slight” amounts of toasted oak, maybe charred earth, or some odd notes as oak blends with the grape in unique ways. You can even try a sultry, rich and very young Mourvedre when you try the popular Poco Loco out of Holly’s Hill, it is both sweeter and more sultry. More residual sugars than you would expect in a Mourvedre, and the clientele love it, because most American palates do love the residual sugar in wines as opposed to higher acids, and lower alcohol that you find in (northern) France and other points north. A squall of variations bound to find a place in your cellar. Mourvèdre is quite expansive in what it can deliver, and I have given you a range here to try on purpose, because again it is hard to pin down.
If you spend time looking for wine, you’ll appreciate spending more time looking for unique Mourvèdre’s, once you make initial friends with it. It is more complex and diverse than say Grenache and should last longer in your cellar as well. It is an under appreciated grape in the world of wine today. Mourvèdre loves lots of sun and heat so its future is bright.
Cheers!