Mourvedre
Origin
Called Morastell or Monastrell in Spain, Mourvèdre is the second black grape varietal of this country.
It has existed in Provence since the fourteenth century, but it is unclear how it was introduced into the Iberian Peninsula. A fundamentally southern varietal, it is unable to ripen north of Montélimar or even north of Avignon during colder years. Very sensitive, it requires the warmest southern-facing sites exposed to the south.
Character
At L’Ostal Cazes, Mourvèdre is planted on the superheated hillsides to the south where it expresses its strong personality: exceptionally wild, highly tannic with hints of violets and jam. It produces aromatic wines, very colourful and powerfully tannic, the structure of which may not be entirely free from a certain “roughness”.
This apparent hardness makes Grenache its perfect companion, which itself is bold and lush, as it offsets Mourvèdre’s tendency to oxidation.