Mourvèdre/Grenache blends

Looking for recommendations for this blend, along the lines of a Bandol, but not a Bandol. Something from a Southern France appelation or even Spain (e.g. Yecla) or the US perhaps. I love GSMs and all of the Souther Rhone Valley, but I'd like to focus on this particular blend. It's not a common blend, at least when we're talking just the two varietals. Not sure why this is because I think its a great combo, or can be when done like a Tempier Bandol. I have noticed a lot of Spanish single varietals of one or the other grape, but I don't know of any consisting of this specific blend. Speaking of blends and Spain, is a GSM very common in Spain?

Appreciate any suggestions. Or thoughts, feedback etc on this blend.

Bryan

It's pretty rare to find blends of just these two varieties, I think ... especially in France - there's usually some Carignan or Syrah thrown in.

In Spain, it must exist - Garnacha/Mataro is what to look for - Torres seem to do something, but again with a couple of other varieties thrown in.

South Africa, I thought of next and in particular the excellent Fairview winery, but looking on their website, did not find what you are after. They do SMV - Syrah, Mourvèdre, Viognier. The closest I found was in the Goats do Roam range, but again, there's usually Syrah thrown in. You might find one from another South African winery.

I wonder if Syrah is perhaps really needed to give the backbone to these wines. Although Mourvèdre can give good colour and structure it is not that easy a variety to work with, I believe.

Looking forward to other replies.

Wink is right: no use looking for this combination in France. These two alone would easily produce a bit too much alcohol and not enough structure and aroma; they are also both late ripening and demand almost opposite soils. (Another problem with Mourvèdre is that the grafting can be difficult.) In Spain it is different however: Garnacha (and various other spellings in e g Catalunya) and Monastrell (the Mourvèdre synonym to use if googling) are very popular - Syrah is not - and can be found especially in sparkling rosés, cavas rosados. Personally I am not much of a bubbly fan, but I have enjoyed sweet fortified GM-wines more, even if the latter tend to be either 100% Monastrell or include at least three different grapes.

Greetings / Fredrik L

Monastrell (the Mourvèdre synonym to use if googling)

Quite right, Fredrik, thank you! Monastrell is what I meant ... brain stopped ... Mataro is in Australia, where I doubt you'll find this blend either!

Mataro, and Murviedro, according to one account, are villages in Spain in which the grape Mourvedre/Mataro/Monastrell, etc., grow/grew/ has grown. (This is a multiple choice post.)

; they are also both late ripening and demand almost opposite soils.

can you elaborate further on the soil differences for the two grapes? This seems somewhat counter-intuitive since one sees the same grapes often grown in the same reason. I assume you are stating that the specific vineyard soils differ greatly even though both grapes like a longer-hotter growing season.

Mourvedre doesn't like schist; Grenache seems to like it fairly well.

Mourvedre doesn't like schist; Grenache seems to like it fairly well.

Got it thanks.

Not exactly what you are after, but Beaucastel is around 50% Mourvedre with a fair slug of Grenache in the remainder. Liking Beaucastel was one of the reasons I am now exploring Bandol, which I am discovering is also to my taste.

Steve's recommendation is the best you'll get - there's a lot of grenache and a lot of mourvèdre in Beaucastel!

Don't look for it in Spain (except for Miguel Torres' expensive Grans Muralles from Conca de Barberà, which is akin to Beaucastel in that it's a blend of five grape varieties, including grenache and mourvèdre). I should know about it: we (meaning Finca Sandoval) make wine from six different grape varieties - mourvèdre (monastrell), grenache (garnacha tinta), bobal, alicante bouschet (garnacha tintorera), syrah and touriga nacional, but we don't use mourvèdre and grenache in the same blend! Finca Sandoval is a syrah/mourvèdre/bobal blend, and Salia a syrah/alicante bouschet/grenache blend.

The three main native grape varieties (red) in eastern Spain, each with upwards of 150,000 acres under vines, are grenache, bobal and mourvèdre - but they don't grow together. Grenache growths in the northeast, bobal in the east-central section and mourvèdre in the southeast. I believe we are the only estate in Spain vinifying all three - and to do that we must have vineyards that are more than 100 miles apart.

Our friends at Casa Castillo in Jumilla have planted some grenache, so that they should soon come out with a mourvèdre-grenache blend.

Don't look for it in Spain (except for Miguel Torres' expensive Grans Muralles from Conca de Barberà, which is akin to Beaucastel in that it's a blend of five grape varieties, including grenache and mourvèdre).

We've got Grans Muralles '01 available here. Is it aking to Beaucastel in any other way than just the grape composition? Does the Monastrell come out strongly? Is there obvious oak? I rather enjoy Beaucastel, though I am not generally much of a fan of Châteauneuf-du-Pape - I have hypothesised that it is the Mourvèdre (which I adore) that makes me like it.

-O

I rather enjoy Beaucastel, though I am not generally much of a fan of Châteauneuf-du-Pape - I have hypothesised that it is the Mourvèdre (which I adore) that makes me like it.

Exactly my experience - and my working hypothesis. Seems to be paying off so far

[Robin Garr]

I rather enjoy Beaucastel, though I am not generally much of a fan of Châteauneuf-du-Pape - I have hypothesised that it is the Mourvèdre (which I adore) that makes me like it.

Exactly my experience - and my working hypothesis. Seems to be paying off so far

Me three, and I am actually an enrolled Chansonnier of CdP <preen>

Pax makes a Grenache/Mourvedre blend called Cuvee Moriah but it is mostly Grenache (88%) with small amounts of Syrah, Counoise and Roussanne thrown in. I have the '06 but haven't tried one yet.

Tablas Creek (partly owned by the Beaucastel Perrins) has a blend Panoplie that is predominately Mourvedre but goes as high as 10% on Syrah. The Grenache weighs in around 20%. These wines need time. I like the Esprit reds also, but they are more traditional GSM blends.

Not exactly what you are after, but Beaucastel is around 50% Mourvedre with a fair slug of Grenache in the remainder. Liking Beaucastel was one of the reasons I am now exploring Bandol, which I am discovering is also to my taste.

Good idea. I have heard about this before. Beucastel is relatively (2 me) expensive here - $75. I'll try one though and see how I like it. But at that price point I can also spend another $15 and get the single cuvee Tempier.

As an aside, and I don't pretend to have much experience with Spanish Monastrell, but I really like the Castano from Yecla. Pretty darn decent wine for such a low price, and it drinks now unlike actual Bandols so it's a great temper of temptation.

Bryan

Over the weekend up in SF for Rhone Rangers, John Lancaster of Blvd Rest. poured my the 04 Clos St. Jean Deux Ex-Machina . . . 60% grenache / 40% mourvedre . . . 100% stunning!

Is it aking to Beaucastel in any other way than just the grape composition?

Not really - very different soils (some slate), mourvédre not so prominent. Very nice, garrigue-laden wine, though. Possibly somewhat softer than Beaucastel. even though it's just as Mediterranean. Torres wines are never (in my experience) overoaked. This is a very nice, terroir-based wine - but quite expensive for what it is, IMHO.

I have not checked my notes yet but I am pretty sure I had a Barossa called Sixth Sense Reserve that was 80-20 (or something) Grenache-Mourvèdre, made by Trevor Jones(?). Not being a Barossa fan I still found it decent and it cost something like 20 Euros.

Just for what it´s worth!

Greetings / Fredrik L

The RBJ Theologicum from the Barossa is an excellent MG blend. (though the 02 weighs in at a hefty and noticeable 16.5%)

Nayan
Good to see you over here!

One interesting variant I've heard of, but not tasted, is a GSM from Australia but where Sangiovese is used instead of Shiraz.

I still have fond memories of Penfolds Bin 2 (Shiraz Mataro) from the days where it was in a Rhone shaped bottle and cost £3. In the space of one vintage they doubled the price, put it in a standard bordeaux shaped bottle and the wine itself changed from something really stunning to something very 'ho-hum'. Last time I tried one it even had a synthetic cork. I still remember the wine that was though and do really need to try a few more Monastrell / Mourvedre / Mataro based wines.

regards

Ian

Nice to see you posting here Nayan. I think you live in Cambridge right?
Always enjoy your comments on that Brit board!!

Thanks for the welcome guys.

Ian, for straight (Oz) Mataro then Turkey Flat and Cascabel are probably the best examples, though quite different in style. TF is Barossan and monolithic, whereas Cascabel belies the influence of it's winemaker who originates from Spain.

VS, thanks for the further info, I might add it into some tasting we have in the near future - the 70€ price-tag seems a bit steep for a casual drink during the weekend!

Nayan, good to see you here, too!

-O

Nayan, your comments on Mataro are of interest. Guess I will look around downtown.