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Mourvèdre
[moor-VEH-druh]

Though best known today for its presence in southern France, this red-wine grape is Spain’s second most widely planted red variety after GRENACHE, and is called both Monastrell and Mataro in that country. Mourvèdre produces good-quality, garnet-colored wines with SPICY, PEPPERY characteristics. They can, however, be a bit TANNIC and HARD and are at their best when blended with other grape varieties. Mourvèdre is the principal component in the BANDOL red and ROSÉ wines of France’s PROVENCE region. In other red wines—such as those from CÔTES DU RHÔNE, CHÂTEAUNEUFDE-PAPE, and CÔTES DE PROVENCE—Mourvèdre is used to improve color and STRUCTURE. In Spain, Mourvèdre is grown in the regions of RIOJA, PENEDÈS, and ALICANTE. It’s typically blended with Grenache (Garnacha Tinta) for red wines and is sometimes processed similarly to SHERRY to produce FORTIFIED, RANCIO-style wines. Although there’s recently been renewed interest in California, only small amounts of this variety are currently grown in California and Australia, where it’s also known as Mataro. Mourvèdre is also called Morastel (or Morrastal), although it’s unrelated to the Morrastel of southern France (which is actually GRACIANO).
Related Links: Les Baux de Provence AC, Rhone Rangers, Petite Sirah
© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc.
1995 based on THE WINE LOVER'S COMPANION,
by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst.

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