Mourvèdre, Monastrell or Mataro? One Grape Across Three Wine Cultures

Mourvèdre is one of the Mediterranean’s most demanding red grapes and one of its most rewarding when it reaches full maturity. Late ripening, thick skins, substantial tannin and a strong need for heat mean that it rarely excels in marginal climates, but in the right conditions it can produce wines of remarkable depth, combining blackberry, blackcurrant, pepper, laurel, garrigue, game, leather and dark spice.

The grape is known as Monastrell in Spain and Mataro in Australia, and those names reveal how widely it travelled around the western Mediterranean before becoming established much farther afield. In France, Bandol remains its great reference point, where Mourvèdre forms the structural core of long-lived reds. In southeastern Spain, especially Jumilla and Yecla, Monastrell produces both powerful old-vine wines and increasingly fresher expressions from higher, limestone-rich sites. Australia preserves another important historical identity through Mataro, especially in the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale.

Mourvèdre is also crucial in blends. Alongside Grenache and Syrah, it provides the M in GSM, adding colour, tannin, savoury depth and ageing ability to wines that might otherwise be softer and more fruit-driven. Yet the modern revival of varietal bottlings has made one thing increasingly clear: Mourvèdre does not need to remain in the background.

The Basics

• Grape: Mourvèdre
• Colour: Red
• Spanish name: Monastrell
• Australian synonym: Mataro
• Probable origin: Eastern or southeastern Spain
• French stronghold: Bandol, Provence
• Major Spanish regions: Jumilla, Yecla, Bullas, Alicante, Almansa
• Important Australian regions: Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Riverland
• Ripening: Very late
• Heat requirement: High
• Drought tolerance: Good once established
• Typical soils: Limestone, clay-limestone, gravel and well-drained stony soils
• Typical colour: Deep ruby to purple
• Acidity: Medium
• Tannin: High
• Body: Medium-full to full
• Typical alcohol: Around 13.5–15% ABV
• Typical aromas: Blackberry, blackcurrant, plum, pepper, garrigue and laurel
• With age: Leather, truffle, game, dried fruit and spice
• Main wine styles: Dry red, rosé, blends and some sweet or fortified styles
• Ageing potential: 5–10 years for good varietal wines; 10–20 years or more for serious Bandol and top old-vine examples
• Serving temperature: Around 16–18°C

Where Does Mourvèdre Come From?

Mourvèdre is generally considered to have Spanish origins, most probably somewhere in eastern or southeastern Iberia. French varietal documentation identifies it specifically as a Spanish grape that migrated into Mediterranean France during the Middle Ages, eventually finding the heat and maritime conditions it needed along the southern coast.

The French name is traditionally linked with the old Valencian town of Murviedro, modern Sagunto, while the Australian synonym Mataro is associated with the Catalan coastal town of Mataró. Both names point back toward Spain rather than France.

That history matters because Mourvèdre is often discussed through Bandol, where it achieved its most famous French expression, yet Monastrell remains one of Spain’s major native red varieties. Yecla still describes it as the denomination’s defining grape and virtually a monoculture in parts of the region, while six Spanish DOs joined forces in the Monastrell España association to promote the variety nationally and internationally.

Mourvèdre, Monastrell and Mataro

These three names refer to the same grape variety.

Mourvèdre is the standard French and increasingly international name. Monastrell is the traditional Spanish name, especially important in Murcia, Alicante and Castilla-La Mancha. Mataro remains common in Australia, although Mourvèdre also appears increasingly on modern Australian labels.

The names often signal stylistic differences even when the genetics are identical. Bandol Mourvèdre tends to be structured, savoury and built for ageing. Monastrell from Jumilla or Yecla can be riper, darker and more immediately fruit-driven, although altitude and old vines increasingly produce fresher Spanish interpretations. Australian Mataro often combines black fruit with herbs, spice and a distinctly dry, savoury finish.

The grape is the same.

The climate and wine culture surrounding it are not.

Why Mourvèdre Needs Heat

Mourvèdre is a very late-ripening variety, and that fact explains most of its geographical distribution.

It buds and ripens later than many Mediterranean red grapes, so it needs a long, warm growing season to reach full phenolic maturity. If temperatures are insufficient, sugar may accumulate before seeds and skins become fully ripe, producing wines with hard tannins, green flavours and an unpleasantly rustic structure.

Bandol’s producers describe Mourvèdre as a fourth-period ripener that needs sustained sunshine, maritime influence and a long growing season to mature properly.

This is why the grape flourishes around the Mediterranean and in warm Australian regions but rarely becomes a major variety in cool climates.

Heat is not merely desirable.

For Mourvèdre, it is structural.

Drought Resistance and Mediterranean Adaptation

Once established, Mourvèdre copes well with dry conditions.

Yecla’s regulatory body describes Monastrell as highly adapted to heat, wind and prolonged drought, although severe water stress can reduce both vine development and production. The variety performs best in light, deep, well-drained soils with significant limestone content.

These characteristics explain why old Monastrell vineyards have survived in southeastern Spain under conditions that would be extremely challenging for more water-demanding grapes.

Low rainfall, bush training and naturally modest yields can produce small berries with thick skins and concentrated flavour.

The downside is that excessive drought can stop ripening rather than merely concentrating the fruit.

Mourvèdre tolerates scarcity.

It does not make water irrelevant.

What Does the Vine Look Like?

Monastrell typically forms a relatively upright vine with small-to-medium compact bunches and small, blue-black berries. The skins are thick, contributing the colour and tannin for which the variety is known. Yecla’s official description also notes the vine’s erect shoots, medium leaves and tight conical clusters.

Compact bunches create potential disease problems when humidity rises, but in the dry regions where the grape traditionally thrives this is less problematic than it would be in wetter climates.

Thick skins also make ripeness particularly important. Underripe skins can produce aggressive tannin, while fully mature grapes develop the rich black-fruit and savoury character associated with good Mourvèdre.

Viticulture therefore revolves around giving the grape enough time without allowing sugar and alcohol to run too far ahead.

What Does Mourvèdre Taste Like?

Young Mourvèdre generally shows blackberry, blackcurrant and dark plum, often accompanied by black pepper, dried herbs, laurel and garrigue. French varietal references also identify these dark-fruit and herbal notes as characteristic when the grape is young.

With bottle age, the profile becomes more savoury. Leather, truffle, dried fruit, game, earth and deeper spice can emerge as the primary fruit recedes.

This evolution is one of the grape’s great strengths.

A young Mourvèdre can feel dense and stern.

A mature one can become extraordinarily complex.

The tannins do not disappear so much as integrate into a broader savoury structure.

Why Mourvèdre Can Smell Gamey

The gamey side of Mourvèdre has become one of its most recognisable descriptors.

Mature examples may suggest leather, cured meat, game, earth and truffle, especially after several years in bottle. These aromas are not necessarily signs of Brettanomyces or microbiological fault, although poorly handled wines can obviously develop such problems.

The grape naturally evolves toward savoury tertiary aromas as its black fruit and tannin mature.

That makes Mourvèdre particularly attractive to drinkers who prefer complex, earthy reds over overtly sweet-fruited styles.

At its best, the game character remains subtle enough to sit beside fruit rather than replacing it.

Bandol: Mourvèdre’s Great French Terroir

No French appellation is more closely associated with Mourvèdre than Bandol, on the Mediterranean coast of Provence.

The AOC covers eight communes in the Var and combines intense sunshine with maritime influence, wind and limestone-dominated soils. These conditions allow the grape to reach full maturity slowly enough to preserve structure.

Bandol red must be based on the traditional Mediterranean varieties Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvèdre, with Mourvèdre occupying the central qualitative role. The appellation’s regulations and grower practice impose extremely low yields by southern French standards, and red wines must undergo extended wood ageing before release. The official Bandol body notes a minimum 18 months in barrel or foudre for the reds and yields that in practice rarely exceed 35 hl/ha.

This combination of low yield, late ripening and long élevage explains why Bandol can remain formidable when young.

It is built for time.

Why Bandol Ages So Well

Mourvèdre gives Bandol the tannin, colour and phenolic density required for long ageing.

Young bottles can be dominated by dark berries, herbs and firm structure, with oak and alcohol still clearly visible. Over ten or fifteen years, the wine often develops leather, truffle, game, dried herbs and mature plum while the tannins become more integrated.

Serious Bandol can continue evolving beyond twenty years in strong vintages.

This is unusual for Grenache-dominated Mediterranean wine, where tannin may be softer and oxidation can appear earlier.

Mourvèdre changes the architecture.

It gives the blend a skeleton.

Bandol Rosé and Mourvèdre

Mourvèdre is not limited to red Bandol.

It also contributes significantly to the appellation’s rosé wines, where it adds body, savoury depth and the ability to develop after release. The official Bandol organisation specifically highlights its role in giving rosé greater power and ageing capacity.

This is one reason Bandol rosé can feel substantially more vinous than very pale Provence rosé designed purely for immediate summer drinking.

Mourvèdre can bring subtle spice, red fruit and structure beneath the lighter colour.

Better examples often benefit from a year or two in bottle rather than declining immediately after harvest.

That makes Bandol rosé a useful reminder that colour tells you very little about seriousness.

Jumilla: Monastrell in Southeastern Spain

Jumilla is one of the great Spanish strongholds of Monastrell.

The appellation spans parts of Murcia and Albacete and combines intense sun, low rainfall, limestone-rich soils and significant elevation. Old bush vines survive in remarkably dry landscapes, often producing naturally small crops.

Monastrell can deliver blackberry, plum, liquorice, spice and dried herbs, with alcohol often reaching 14–15% in ripe examples.

Historically, the region produced very powerful wines, but modern producers increasingly control extraction, harvest earlier and seek fresher vineyard sites.

The best contemporary Jumilla balances Mediterranean ripeness with limestone-driven tension rather than simply chasing concentration.

Yecla: Almost a Monastrell Monoculture

Yecla is smaller than Jumilla but even more tightly identified with Monastrell.

The denomination describes the grape as practically a monoculture, and official regional material has placed it at around 80% of vineyard plantings.

The climate is extremely dry, with average annual rainfall around 300 mm and more than 3,300 hours of sunshine. Limestone-rich, well-drained soils and altitude help prevent the wines from becoming completely soft despite the heat.

Yecla Monastrell typically shows ripe red and black fruit, balsamic herbs, spice and substantial tannin.

The region’s best wines demonstrate that high alcohol and freshness are not mutually exclusive when yields remain low and soils limit excessive vigour.

Bullas and the Cooler Side of Monastrell

Bullas sits farther inland and at generally higher elevations than many parts of Jumilla.

The result can be a fresher expression of Monastrell, with more visible acidity, red fruit and floral character.

This cooler interpretation has become increasingly relevant as producers throughout southeastern Spain reconsider the assumption that Monastrell should always be harvested at maximum ripeness.

Higher vineyards can preserve energy without sacrificing the grape’s characteristic black fruit and herbs.

Bullas remains less famous internationally than Jumilla, but stylistically it may become increasingly important in a warming climate.

Alicante and Sweet Monastrell

Alicante has a long history with Monastrell and uses the grape for both dry and sweet wines.

One of the most distinctive historical styles is Fondillón, traditionally produced from very ripe Monastrell and aged oxidatively for many years.

The wine sits outside the normal dry Mourvèdre profile, developing dried fruit, nuts, spices and oxidative complexity.

This shows the grape’s unusual versatility.

The same thick skins and high sugar potential that create powerful dry reds can also support long-lived sweet and oxidative styles.

Monastrell is not only a table-red variety.

Mourvèdre in the Southern Rhône

Mourvèdre plays an important supporting role throughout the southern Rhône.

In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Côtes du Rhône, it is commonly blended with Grenache and Syrah.

Grenache contributes alcohol, red fruit and breadth.

Syrah adds colour, pepper and aromatic intensity.

Mourvèdre provides tannin, dark fruit and savoury structure.

This became internationally simplified into the acronym GSM: Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre.

The formula is useful, but actual Rhône blends can contain numerous additional varieties.

Mourvèdre’s essential contribution remains the same.

It makes the wine more serious structurally.

GSM: Why Mourvèdre Is the M

Mourvèdre occupies a particularly useful position between Grenache and Syrah.

Grenache can be relatively pale and soft.

Syrah supplies colour and aroma but can become dominant when used heavily.

Mourvèdre brings dark fruit, tannin and savoury depth without necessarily overwhelming the blend aromatically.

In warm climates, this makes it an excellent structural partner.

The variety also extends ageing potential because its tannins and phenolic density slow the evolution of softer components.

A GSM blend without much Mourvèdre may be immediately attractive.

One with a serious Mourvèdre component can require more patience and reward it later.

Australia and Mataro

Mourvèdre arrived in Australia early and became known primarily as Mataro.

The grape has longstanding roots in regions such as the Barossa Valley, where old vines survive in warm, dry conditions. Modern producers increasingly use both names, with “Mourvèdre” becoming more visible internationally.

Wine Australia recorded approximately 751 hectares planted nationally in its 2024 variety snapshot, with the Barossa Valley accounting for the largest share of the crush among named premium regions and McLaren Vale another significant centre.

Australian Mataro can show blackberry, plum, dried herbs and spice, often with a distinctly dry finish.

Old-vine examples from Barossa can be particularly complex without becoming as heavily extracted as some historical Australian reds.

Barossa Valley Mataro

The Barossa is particularly important because of its old vineyards.

Dry conditions and historical continuity preserved plantings that might have been uprooted elsewhere when the variety fell out of fashion.

Mataro often appeared in traditional blends alongside Shiraz and Grenache, sometimes without receiving much attention on the label.

The contemporary old-vine movement changed that.

Producers began bottling Mataro separately and discovered that the grape could deliver savoury, aromatic wines with less sweetness than heavily ripe Shiraz.

Black fruit, earth and dried herbs become especially attractive when alcohol remains controlled.

McLaren Vale Mourvèdre

McLaren Vale provides another warm maritime environment where Mourvèdre can ripen successfully.

Compared with Barossa, the region’s proximity to the Gulf can moderate temperatures and preserve slightly greater freshness in suitable sites.

The grape commonly appears in GSM blends, but varietal bottlings have become more frequent.

McLaren Vale Mourvèdre can combine ripe blackberry and plum with spice, herbs and firm tannin, often showing a smoother texture than the most austere young Bandol.

It demonstrates how well the grape adapts to warm Australian coastal conditions when water and yields are managed carefully.

Mourvèdre vs Grenache

These grapes are natural blending partners because their strengths are almost complementary.

Grenache is generally higher in alcohol, softer in tannin and more obviously red-fruited, showing strawberry, raspberry and sweet spice.

Mourvèdre is darker, more tannic and more savoury, with blackberry, herbs, pepper and game becoming increasingly important.

Grenache provides breadth.

Mourvèdre provides structure.

In warm Mediterranean blends, combining the two often creates more complete wine than either grape alone.

Mourvèdre vs Syrah

Syrah and Mourvèdre overlap more strongly in colour and structure but differ aromatically.

Syrah commonly shows blackberry, violet, black pepper and smoked meat, with relatively strong acidity and substantial tannin.

Mourvèdre is usually more herbal and earthy, moving toward laurel, garrigue, leather and game as it matures.

Syrah can thrive in significantly cooler climates.

Mourvèdre needs much more heat.

In blends, Syrah often provides aromatic lift while Mourvèdre supplies deeper savoury structure.

Mourvèdre vs Carignan

Both varieties are old Mediterranean grapes capable of surviving heat, drought and poor soils.

Carignan generally offers higher acidity and can be more aggressively tannic when yields are high or fruit is insufficiently ripe. Its flavour profile often includes sour cherry, blackberry, herbs and earthy spice.

Mourvèdre usually produces darker fruit and greater body, with more obvious game and leather development during ageing.

Old vines are important for both because naturally reduced yields help control their rustic tendencies.

In southern French blends, they can appear together, but Mourvèdre usually occupies the more prestigious structural role.

Why Ripeness Is Critical

Few major red varieties punish underripeness as clearly as Mourvèdre.

Thick skins and high tannin mean that grapes need substantial phenolic maturity before harvest. If the seeds remain green and skins unripe, the wine can become bitter, vegetal and aggressively astringent.

Yet waiting too long creates another problem.

Sugar rises rapidly in hot climates, pushing alcohol beyond 15% while acidity declines.

The modern challenge is therefore not simply achieving ripeness but synchronising sugar, flavour and tannin maturity.

The best sites achieve this balance naturally.

Poor sites require compromises.

That is one reason Mourvèdre has such a strong relationship with specific terroirs rather than simply hot weather.

Oak and Mourvèdre

Mourvèdre can handle extended wood ageing because its tannin and fruit concentration provide substantial structure.

Bandol traditionally relies heavily on large old foudres, allowing slow oxygen exchange without covering the wine in obvious vanilla.

Small new barriques can also be used, particularly in modern Spanish or New World interpretations, but excessive new oak can make already powerful Mourvèdre unnecessarily heavy.

The grape naturally develops leather, spice and savoury complexity.

It rarely needs cosmetic assistance.

Neutral wood, concrete and large-format barrels increasingly appeal to producers who want fruit and garrigue to remain clearer.

Whole-Bunch Fermentation

Whole-bunch fermentation can be useful but requires care.

Stems can introduce spice, floral lift and additional structural complexity, but Mourvèdre already possesses strong tannin.

Using too many unripe stems can therefore create an aggressively drying wine.

Fully lignified stems from mature old vines are more suitable.

Some contemporary producers use partial whole bunches to lift the grape’s otherwise dark profile and create more aromatic freshness.

The technique is most successful when it adds nuance rather than simply more tannin.

Mourvèdre Rosé

Mourvèdre produces serious rosé, particularly in Bandol.

The grape contributes body, spice and the ability to evolve after bottling, distinguishing it from lighter rosé varieties intended purely for immediate consumption.

Expect redcurrant, strawberry, herbs and sometimes citrus peel, with more savoury structure than colour might suggest.

Mourvèdre-based rosé can handle substantial food because it possesses enough phenolic weight and alcohol to stand beside grilled fish, poultry and Mediterranean dishes.

This is rosé built around wine first and colour second.

Can Mourvèdre Age?

Absolutely.

High tannin, substantial phenolics and moderate acidity give the grape strong ageing potential when fruit reaches full maturity.

Good varietal Mourvèdre can develop for five to ten years, while serious Bandol often needs that long simply to begin showing its full complexity.

Top examples can evolve for 15–20 years or more.

Young blackberry and pepper gradually shift toward dried plum, leather, truffle, game and earthy herbs.

Bottle age is particularly useful because it softens tannin without removing the grape’s savoury identity.

Few Mediterranean varieties gain as much from patience.

Food Pairings

Mourvèdre naturally suits robust savoury food. Slow-cooked lamb, grilled beef, wild boar, duck, venison and herb-roasted pork have enough depth to match its tannin and dark fruit.

Bandol pairs naturally with Provençal dishes involving rosemary, thyme, olives and garlic because the wine’s garrigue character echoes the seasoning. Spanish Monastrell complements lamb, grilled sausages and rice dishes with meat, while mature bottles are an excellent match for mushrooms and game.

Hard sheep’s cheeses and aged Manchego also suit the grape’s combination of fruit and savoury structure.

Very delicate food disappears beside serious Mourvèdre.

The wine wants flavour around it.

Serving Mourvèdre

Serve young Mourvèdre around 16–18°C.

High-alcohol examples should never be served at a warm room temperature because heat exaggerates ethanol and makes tannin feel coarser.

Young Bandol or concentrated Monastrell can benefit from one to two hours of decanting, particularly when the wine is less than five years old.

Mature bottles need gentler treatment because tertiary aromas can fade with prolonged exposure.

A large red-wine glass helps release black fruit and herbal complexity.

This is a grape that often improves considerably during the first half-hour in the glass.

How Much Does Mourvèdre Cost?

Spanish Monastrell remains one of the best-value routes into the grape.

Good bottles from Jumilla and Yecla often begin around €8–€12, while more serious old-vine wines generally fall between €15 and €30.

Premium single-vineyard Spanish examples can exceed €30–€50.

Bandol is significantly more expensive. Reliable estate reds often begin around €25–€35, while leading producers and mature vintages can reach €40–€80 or substantially more.

Australian Mataro ranges from inexpensive blends to premium old-vine bottlings around €25–€50.

The value sweet spot remains southeastern Spain.

The qualitative benchmark remains Bandol.

Domaine Tempier

Domaine Tempier is the producer most closely associated with modern Bandol.

The estate played a crucial role in defending Mourvèdre and the Bandol appellation during the twentieth century, and its reds remain reference points for the grape’s ability to combine power with longevity.

The basic Bandol Rouge already contains a substantial Mourvèdre component, while single-vineyard cuvées such as La Tourtine, La Migoua and Cabassaou explore different soils and exposures.

The wines are rarely designed for immediate softness.

With age, they develop leather, herbs, black fruit and extraordinary savoury complexity.

Tempier remains one of the essential bottles for understanding Mourvèdre at full ambition.

Château de Pibarnon

Château de Pibarnon sits on elevated terraces above the Mediterranean and produces one of Bandol’s most distinctive expressions.

The estate’s limestone-rich soils and altitude help preserve freshness while Mourvèdre reaches full maturity.

The reds are typically structured and age-worthy, combining black fruit, herbs and spice with a firmer mineral profile.

Pibarnon also produces serious rosé, demonstrating the grape’s ability to build texture and longevity even without extended skin contact.

For drinkers who find some Bandol too broad or warm, Pibarnon often provides a particularly precise alternative.

Domaine de Terrebrune

Domaine de Terrebrune is another important Bandol producer, known for relatively elegant wines with strong mineral and herbal character.

The estate’s distinctive limestone and marl soils contribute to a profile that often feels fresher than the appellation’s reputation for sheer power might suggest.

Mourvèdre remains central, but extraction is generally controlled.

The wines can age beautifully, developing tobacco, leather and earthy complexity without losing their underlying freshness.

Terrebrune demonstrates that Bandol does not need to be massive to be serious.

Bodegas Juan Gil

Juan Gil is one of the internationally best-known producers associated with Jumilla Monastrell.

The winery works with old vines under extremely dry conditions and produces several levels of wine, from accessible varietal Monastrell to denser premium bottlings.

The house style tends toward ripe blackberry, dark plum and spice, with substantial alcohol and polished tannin.

It represents the modern, internationally successful face of Jumilla.

For drinkers moving from richer New World reds into Monastrell, Juan Gil is an easy entry point.

Casa Castillo

Casa Castillo is one of the producers that changed perceptions of Jumilla.

Rather than relying on heavy extraction and oak, the estate increasingly focused on individual vineyards, old vines and a more transparent expression of Monastrell.

Wines such as Pie Franco demonstrated the potential of very old ungrafted vines and elevated the region beyond its reputation for inexpensive powerful reds.

The style generally emphasises aromatic detail, dry herbs and fresher fruit alongside the grape’s natural structure.

Casa Castillo belongs among the most important modern Monastrell references in Spain.

Bodegas Castaño

Bodegas Castaño has been central to the international development of Yecla and Monastrell.

The family invested heavily in the variety during a period when many producers preferred internationally fashionable grapes, helping establish Yecla in export markets.

The range includes straightforward varietal Monastrell and more structured old-vine wines.

Castaño is especially useful for understanding the region because it spans several price levels without abandoning Monastrell as the central identity.

Barossa Old-Vine Mataro

Australia’s most interesting Mataro increasingly comes from old vines in the Barossa Valley.

Producers such as Torbreck, Spinifex, Hewitson and Smallfry have explored the grape both alone and in Mediterranean blends.

The best wines combine ripe black fruit with dried herbs, spice and a noticeably savoury finish.

Old-vine Australian Mataro can be powerful but often avoids the sweet-fruited density associated with heavily ripe Shiraz.

This dry, earthy character is exactly what makes the variety valuable in Australian blends.

Climate Change and Mourvèdre

Mourvèdre is naturally well positioned for warmer conditions because it ripens late and tolerates heat and drought better than many classic varieties.

That explains renewed interest in Mediterranean grapes in regions adapting to climate change.

Yet the equation is not simply “hotter is better.”

Extreme drought can shut vines down, while rising sugar levels can push alcohol excessively high before tannins reach ideal maturity. Warm nights also reduce acid retention.

The most promising future sites may therefore combine heat with altitude, limestone, wind or maritime influence.

Mourvèdre needs warmth.

It still needs balance.

What Makes Great Mourvèdre?

Great Mourvèdre depends on full ripeness without excess. The skins and seeds must mature enough to avoid green, aggressive tannin, while the grapes still need enough acidity and freshness to prevent black fruit and alcohol from becoming heavy.

The best wines show blackberry, pepper and Mediterranean herbs when young, with tannins that are firm but proportionate. Oak should remain secondary, and alcohol should support the texture rather than dominate it. Over time, leather, game, truffle and dried fruit can add extraordinary complexity.

Bandol demonstrates the grape’s most classical ageing potential, while Jumilla, Yecla and Australia reveal how broadly it can adapt to warm, dry regions.

Mourvèdre is difficult because it needs a long season and precise harvest timing.

That difficulty is also what keeps its greatest wines interesting.

Mourvèdre is the perfect red for robust dishes loaded with umami flavours: pulled pork, empanadas, hamburgers, beef Wellington. For mature cheeses and intense blue cheeses such as Roquefort and Stilton.

Alfredo Ravanetti