Mighty Mourvedre - The Bold Varietal in Australian Wine History

Monastrell, is a grape variety that arose in Spain in the region around Valencia in the early 1300’s. Let's call it Mourvedre for the purposes of this tasting pack although in Australia and other areas such as Roussillon in southern France it goes by Mataro. Both the names Mourvedre and Mataro probably originate from the names of towns along the Mediterranean coast of Spain between Valencia and Barcelona but the name Monastrell, may have originated from the fact that this grape in its early history was planted in the Monasteries along the Spanish coast.

The variety gradually migrated into Southern France and then the Southern Rhone and to Provence. It is a late ripening variety and needs a long hot summer to ripen fully and this explains it’s distribution today. Although the 4 ^th most common red variety in Spain, the pinnacle of production as a single variety wine is along the Provencal coast in a village of Bandol. Names like Domaine Tempier and Château de Pibarnon are highly sought after wines from Bandol however The Oak Barrel now imports a serious challenger by the name of Chateau Croix d’Allons.

In addition to this Bandol offering, we also have back vintages of a famous Australian version of Mourvedre called the Hewitson “Old Garden”.

The Old Garden vineyard is the oldest Mourvèdre vineyard in the world planted in 1853. Dry-grown, original existing vines pre-Phylloxera. Eight rows of this rare and unique planting remain to this day at Rowland Flat and produce winemaker Dean Hewitson’s much-lauded single-vineyard table wine bearing the Old Garden name. The vineyard has been hand-tended and dry-farmed by Friedrich Koch and his direct descendants across three centuries.

The characteristics of red wine made from Mourvedre are full bodied, rich, spicy with the fruit element showing blackberries when young. It requires at least 13% alcohol to carry the fruit and later the wild herbs, leathery, gingerbread and gamey characters for which older examples are known. Because of these characteristics, it is often blended with grenache and shiraz to tame the over-exuberant fruity GSM blends.

The Oak Barrel is offering a 4 pack wine selection of aged Hewitson “Old Garden” Mourvedre and a young Bandol version. Full tasting notes on the wines found in this pack below

With a normal price of $289, this pack offers incredible value at only $190 ($171 for members!) and a unique opportunity to explore this fascinating varietal.

Each pack contains 4 x 750ml bottles, as well as free delivery Australia wide. If you're in the nearby Sydney CBD and order before 2pm we can offer free same day delivery also. 

Purchase the Oak Barrel's 'To Your Door' Might Mourvedre 4 Pack Wine Selection

Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2002

'Deeply flavoured, tightly structured – the real charms of this wine are yet to properly unfurl. In time it will be beautiful. Orange zest, walnuts, earth, leather, dark cherries, coffee, spice – there are a lot of good things going on here. Give it another few years – then serve it in a big glass. A wonderful experience awaits.' - 94-95 points. Campbell Mattinson The Wine Front

Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2005

'Step up here. Classy wine. Structure, length, spreading flavour and length – hits the tongue and jolts the mouth to attention. Love the integration of chocolatey, spicy, cedary oak and earthy, licoricey, mocha-like fruit – this is an awesome wine. 96 points.' - Campbell Mattinson The Wine Front

Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2006

'This has X-factor. This is a great result from a vintage capable of producing super wines. It is full of dark fruit flavour, though the weave of coffee, citrus and beefstock gives it oodles of individuality. It is also fresh and fragrant, with Asian spices lifting out through the finish. Super.' - 95 points. Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

Chateau Croix d'Allons Bandol Rouge 2018

Grape composition in the red full Bandol is Mourvèdre 90% Grenache 10% and on their amazing Rosé 2019 Mourvèdre 60% Cinsault 20% Grenache 20%

The spearhead of the appellation, Rouge de Bandol, expresses its true nature: on a mineral background. It blooms with amazing accents of Havana tobacco, leather, undergrowth and even more complex tones with the finesse of each vintage.

Licorice, black fruits, violet, empyreumatic notes ... So with age: red fruits, jams, morello cherries, spices, undergrowth, leather, truffle ... Stored in wood for an optimal period of 18 months, the structure and tannin of Mourvèdre will reveal a complex, abundant and elegant architecture.

A wine that holds par excellence, and it is also valued young in its splendor and generosity: this is the paradox of the Bandol Rouge. At every step of its development, it delivers some of its enormous potential. A Bandol of 10, 20 or 25 years gives all enchantments to those who know how to wait.