Monastrell vs Mourvedre

Just like between Pinot Noir and Pinot Nero (but unlike Prosecco and Brut), between Monastrell and Mourvèdre there is no genetic difference: it is the same grape variety, originating from Spain, which takes different names depending on the area in which it is grown or vinified. Monastrell is the Spanish name, Mourvèdre is the one used in France, while in some Australian areas it can be found as Mataro. And yet, despite the common origin, the wines obtained from this grape variety can present styles and sensory identities that are also very different from each other. The terroir, the climate, the cellar practices and above all the production philosophy play a fundamental role in shaping the personality of the final wine.

Overview of Monastrell/Mourvèdre

Monastrell is a very ancient red-berried grape variety, with probable origins in the area of the Spanish Levante. Its name derives from Monasteriellu, to indicate a historical link with medieval monasteries, where the cultivation of the vine was strongly encouraged. In France it is known as Mourvèdre, particularly widespread in Provence and in the south of the Rhône Valley. The adaptation in different climates and the regional winegrowing history have led to different interpretations.

Monastrell is known for its thick skin, the long vegetative cycle and the need for a lot of sun and heat to ripen completely. This makes it ideal for hot and dry climates such as those of Jumilla, Yecla or Bandol. The grapes give wines rich in polyphenols, with tannic vigor, medium-low acidity and sustained alcohol levels. In youth, aromas of ripe black fruit, black pepper, Mediterranean herbs prevail, but with aging notes of leather, tobacco, smoked meat and sweet spices emerge.

Monastrell/Mourvèdre lends itself to very different interpretations also based on the philosophy of the producer. Some aim at immediate wines, played on ripe fruit and softness, with short aging or in steel, perfect for a more easy-going consumption. Others, instead, embrace a more traditional and concentrated style, letting the wine rest for a long time in wood or in bottle to develop evolved notes. In both cases, it remains a wine that does not go unnoticed: whether it is more sunny or more austere, it always maintains a certain tannic charge, a spicy trail and a deep aromatic profile, capable of surprising with unexpected details such as notes of graphite, liquorice or bloody notes.

Characteristics of Monastrell in Spain

Monastrell in Spain is not only a grape variety, but a real witness of the resilience of Mediterranean viticulture. Its thick skin, late ripening and resistance to drought make it ideal for the arid and rocky soils of the Spanish south-east, where it rains little and the sun beats hard. Here, Monastrell expresses a natural power: wines often alcoholic, loaded with dark fruit, robust tannins and an earthy spiciness. Despite this muscular profile, elegant examples are not lacking, especially when working with old vines or adopting a less interventionist approach in the cellar.

Where Monastrell is grown

The main zones of cultivation of Monastrell in Spain include:

• DOP Jumilla
  The most famous zone for Monastrell, it is located near Murcia. Poor soils, desert climate, old bush vines: from here come intense, powerful wines, often single-varietal, with alcohol levels that reach even 16%. Meaty, spicy style, perfect for decisive dishes.
• DOP Yecla
  Less known, but rapidly rising. Higher altitudes (up to 850 m), thermal excursions and a new generation of producers make the wines of Yecla fresher, fragrant, with an interesting mineral touch. Ideal for those who seek balance without giving up substance. Here too we are near Murcia.
• DOP Alicante
  Here Monastrell gives warm, fruity and generous wines, but with a more Mediterranean character and less austere. Sometimes used in blends with Garnacha or Syrah.
• DOP Valencia
  Traditionally a zone of blends (also with Bobal), but examples of single-varietal are not lacking, especially in the internal part, warmer and drier.

Producers and styles of Monastrell

Bodegas Castaño (Yecla)
Among the pioneers of modern Monastrell. Their Hécula line is an example of balance between fruit, spiciness and freshness. They use wood but with judgement and aim at an accessible but characterful interpretation.

Juan Gil (Jumilla)
Perhaps the best-known name internationally. Power squared: dark, dense wines, with concentration and alcohol at important levels. Perfect for those who love the rich, almost international style.

Finca Luzón (Jumilla)
A new generation of producers who are trying to give Monastrell back a more territorial voice, less sculpted by wood. Interesting also the blends with native or international varieties, with often organic or biodynamic approaches.

Characteristics of Mourvèdre in France

In France, Mourvèdre is a grape variety with a double soul: rustic and aristocratic at the same time. It is demanding in the vineyard, it loves the sun but fears the cold, and it needs to ripen slowly to give its best. Its adopted homeland is Provence, in particular the area of Bandol, where it expresses one of its most iconic versions. Here, Mourvèdre does not limit itself to being a supporting actor in blends: it becomes the absolute protagonist, giving intense, earthy, at times wild wines, with an impressive aging potential. Abundant tannin, vibrant acidity, notes of leather, black pepper, garrigue herbs and smoked meat.

Where Mourvèdre is grown

The main zones of cultivation of Mourvèdre in France include:

• AOC Bandol (Provence)
  The heart of French Mourvèdre. Here, by regulation, it must represent at least 50% of the cuvées (but often it is much more). The Mediterranean climate and the limestone soils help it reach full ripeness. Robust, long-lived wines, often austere in youth but capable of evolving magnificently with time.
• Côtes de Provence and Coteaux Varois
  Mourvèdre often enters rosé and red blends, but rarely alone. Here it plays the role of the structuring element, giving backbone, tannin and depth.
• Southern Rhône (Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas)
  Used in blends with Grenache and Syrah. It adds structure, colour and a much appreciated spicy-earthy note. Less dominant than in Bandol, but always recognizable for those who know it.
• Languedoc (La Clape, Corbières, Minervois)
  The use in purity or in modern blends is growing. Some vignerons are rediscovering it, producing fresher, fruitier and more immediate versions, without renouncing complexity.

Producers and styles of Mourvèdre

Domaine Tempier (Bandol)
The name that made the history of single-varietal Mourvèdre. Monumental wines, in a traditional style: long aging in large casks, important extraction, but without ever losing balance. The cuvée La Tourtine is an absolute benchmark.

Château Pradeaux (Bandol)
Austere wines, almost severe in youth, but with an extraordinary capacity of evolution. A Mourvèdre that needs time and patience, but that speaks strongly of its territory.

Domaine du Gros’Noré (Bandol)
More modern style: more intense fruit, woods more present but well measured. A balance between power and drinkability, which makes the wines more accessible in the first years of life.

Domaine de la Bégude (Bandol)
High altitudes, biodynamic approach, limited use of new wood. Their Mourvèdre is vibrant, vertical, with an acidic tension that distinguishes it from the mass.

Monastrell and Mourvèdre: where alone and where in blend?

The role of Monastrell/Mourvèdre in wines changes radically depending on the geographic context. In Spain, Monastrell is often vinified as single-varietal, especially in the denominations of Jumilla, Yecla and Alicante. Here the old bush vines, the arid climate and the local oenological culture favour single-varietal, intense and territorial expressions. The blend, although present, is secondary and serves above all to soften the profile of the wine or to make it more “international”, with the addition of Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon.

In France, instead, the situation is mirror-like. Mourvèdre is indeed central in Bandol, where it is the protagonist (by regulation it must represent at least 50% of the blend, but it is almost never a single-varietal), but outside this AOC it is employed almost exclusively as support in blends. In the Côtes du Rhône, in Châteauneuf-du-Pape or in the Languedoc, Mourvèdre plays a supporting role, bringing colour, structure and longevity, but it is rarely left alone. It is the “iron sergeant” that gives discipline to cuvées dominated by Grenache and Syrah.

In short: Spain values it as a soloist, France exalts it in a team.

And here is a Monastrell-based blend that I found very valid. It is a gift, therefore I do not know the exact price, but it seems to me it is around 25 to 30 euros: a correct price for the quality. I would drink it again willingly.

Juan Gil Blue Label 2020 – Jumilla

A blend from Jumilla with Monastrell as the protagonist actor, which fully demonstrates the expressive potential of the grape variety. Very deep, impenetrable ruby red colour. The mental image it evokes is that of a big black snake, with well-defined scales, that moves agile, fast and powerful.

It strikes immediately with an inebriating nose: intense, overwhelming, but at the same time clear. Notes of kirsch, cloves, dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans emerge. In the mouth it is an equally structured, full wine, supported by silky and glossy tannins, astringent enough to be felt on the gums. There is a vein of acidity, but it is not that which defines the structure. The palate is dominated by black cherry and by the sweet spices of the wood, supported by an important alcoholic content. The finish is long, with a decisive spiciness, evident imprint of the passage in cask, and with tertiary notes like dark chocolate that return.

It is a wine that finds its identity in evolution. The roast chicken that I paired it with accompanied it well, but then it continues on its own, confident on its heavy tracks.