Mourvèdre as a cultivated wine variety originated in Spain, where it is called Monastrell. Over 250,000 acres are planted there and, although many vineyards are intermingled with other varieties, only Grenache outnumbers total Monastrell acreage. It is the principal black grape of the five appellations that cluster on Spain's Southeastern Mediterranean Coast, Almansa, Valencia, Alicante, Jumilla, and Yecla. Prior to the late Nineteenth Century phylloxera devastation, Mourvèdre was also widely planted in Southern France.
There are contradictions and anomolies in the growth characteristics and properties of Mourvèdre. It is a very late variety in both bud break and ripening season. It can recover quite well from Spring frosts, but sometimes fail to survive cold Winter temperatures. It craves heat, but is drought-sensitive.
Phylloxera nearly drove Mourvèdre to extinction, because the vines took so poorly to grafting that most vignerons deemed the results not worth the effort. Replanting did not begin seriously in France until after World War II, 60 years after the devastation, when sufficient vinestock was developed that had both adapted to grafting and had a consistent production history. Mourvèdre is a slow-ripening variety that develops tight bunches of grapes that need good ventilation to avoid rot. It seems to do best in windy climates like Southern France, and in parts of Spain and Algeria. Until the late 1960s, however, the main French plantings of Mourvèdre were in Provence, where it is the dominant grape in Bandol (between Toulon and Marseille). Total Mourvèdre vineyards in France increased from 2,200 acres in 1968 to nearly 14,000 by 1988.
On their own, Mourvèdre wines tend to be deep- coloured, quite tannic, somewhat alcoholic, and have generally "spicy" aromas and, sometimes, "gamey" flavours in their youth.
In France it is used a part of the blended red wines in the southern Rhone, often playing a supporting role to Grenache. However, in the right hands Mourvèdre can make a stunning, complex and interesting wine. It is widely used to blend with other varieties across the Languedoc: in fact it is one of the cépages améliorateurs (the improving grape varieties that have been introduced into many of the local AOC regulations as part of the drive to improve overall quality of the wines). It is increasingly being seen as a variety that can add complexity and depth to the blend and if handled correctly make a splendid single cépage wine.
