Mourvèdre
The 'Heathcliff' of red grapes: dark, hard-edged, brooding wines with gravitas; Spanish-origin (monastrell), star of Bandol.
About the grape
Mourvèdre is the Heathcliff of red grapes — its dark, hard-edged, almost brooding flavors are never light, juicy, or lively, and it has gravitas. Spanish in origin, it should properly be known as monastrell (or mataró), and in Castilla-La Mancha, especially Jumilla, it makes dark, sometimes muscular wines with dry, bitter espresso-like flavors that call for red meat. In southern France a small amount gives depth, color, and kick to Rhône blends such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes-du-Rhône; today the Provençal appellation of Bandol remains its steadfast French stronghold, and it is also a blending grape in California's Rhône-style wines.
