Mourvèdre

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Mourvèdre, Monastrell, or Mataro is a variety of wine grape grown around the world. It is Spain's second-most widely planted red wine grape after Garnacha Tinta and was once Provence's most popular grape.

Mourvèdre is known by various names: in Spain as Monastrell (or occasionally Morastell or Morrastel), in the Americas and Australia as Mataro (or occasionally Esparte), and in France sometimes as Balzac.

Its names probably come from the towns of Mataró in Cataluña and Murviedro near Valencia. In certain regions of France it is also still known as Estrangle-Chien ("dog strangler").

The grape requires a hot climate to ripen, and is thus only found in the very south of France. Even in Spain it is only grown in significant quantities in the southern half of the country. In hot years, it is capable of producing high-alcohol wines with a high level of tannin, but its producers have so far been unable to create world-class wines. Nonetheless, Mourvèdre is more than capable of generating vin de table with a great degree of finesse, especially in blends with Syrah and Grenache.

Its taste varies greatly according to area, but often has a wild, gamey or earthy flavour, with soft fruit flavours of blackberry.

Found in many of the appellations of southern France (3100 ha total), its stature is not what it once was in Provence, but is still used to soften the harsh oxidation of the Grenache there.

Probably Mourvèdre's finest region is Bandol on the Mediterranean coast of Provence where it dominates the region, producing wines reminiscent of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

It is particularly successful in the Jumilla region of Spain where it is used as a varietal, or in blends with Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo or Merlot.

Its finest plantings outside Europe are in Australia, where it is the fifth-most popular red wine grape (1200 ha); and California (800 ha).

From: http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineguest/wgg.html MONASTRELL:(Has synonym name Morrastel). Recent DNA evidence (3/98) suggests that the library varieties from UC Davis, California and Montpellier, France used in the tests are identical to Moristel and have no relationship to Mourvèdre. The variety thrives in warm, arid climates. With careful vinification and much racking before bottling the wines are capable of ageing well.

[edit] References

[edit] Bibliography

• Jancis Robinson, Vines, Grapes, and Wines, ISBN 0394555988, 1986.
• "Mourvedre: the next big red?" Dr. Vino, 10/10/06