Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the next step into the wild and fun world of wine with the Internationally Acclaimed Carpe Vinum Newsletter Extravaganza and Tasting Announcement of the Week! This week we’re doing another grape varietal study of Mourvedre, a.k.a. Monastrell, a.k.a. Mataro. Why so many names for this one grape? Probably because of its importance in so many wines. Don’t know anything about it? Well that’s why I’m here. Heck, that’s why we’re all here. So let’s dive in! (Into a pool of Mourvedre).

Mourvedre is a grape variety grown in the Mediterranean region of Europe. Some believe it is native to Spain where it is most widely grown in the Southeastern regions of Almansa, Valencia, Jumilla, Yecla, and Alicante. In France it is grown and plays an important part in the wines of the Southern Rhone, but was one of the most important grapes of Provence along the Mediterranean, and is the key component in the wines of the Provencal region of Bandol. There has been a slight surge of growing in California around Contra Costa County with the increasing popularity with the Rhone Rangers wines. Also, there has been a handful of plantings in Australia. They call it Mataro there. And like most of the things that go on in Australia, nobody has any idea why they call it that.

Okay, that’s not true. Or potentially not true. In checking the Wikipedia (because if it’s in the Wiki, it’s gotta be correct) the name “Mataro” may have come from the city Mataro in Spain’s Catalunya, and “Mourvedre” has a certain similarity to the city name Murviedro in Spain’s Valencia, which may suggest the point of origin of the grape. The Wiki also states that the French have called it the “Estrangle-Chien”, or “Dog Strangler” . . . which, although morbidly poetic, makes absolutely no sense at all.

Now just to mess me up even more for this tasting, the Wiki goes on to say that scientists have proven that the genetic structure of the Monastrell in Spain proves it is actually the Graciano grape, and not Mourvedre after all. This is news to me as of writing time and seriously threatens the credibility of this tasting as a single-varietal tasting. But the best part of Wikipedia is the fact that we, as users, can go back and change that. So if anyone has any time today, maybe we could change that information back so I’m correct again . . . at least for the duration of the tasting. That would be greatly appreciated, so we can now pretend that it never happened. At least for the duration of the tasting. Then come Saturday we’ll find out who these “scientists” really are and why they’re trying to ruin my life.

Alrighty. So now that Monastrell, Mourvedre and Mataro are the same grapes again, let’s get on with the introductions. Considering the beautiful weather we’ve got going on, I thought I might start with a couple rose’ wines. First up we’ve got the Torbreck Saignee. “Saignee” is a French term for draining off a portion of the juice of a macerating red wine. This juice is pink and the method is usually a way to help concentrate the juice of the red wine from which it came. In this case it’s old vine Mataro. I’m not sure, but it might be a saignee from the Torbreck Pict, and all Mataro wine that goes for about $150 per bottle. Yes, I’d love to try that one. And no, we’re not trying that one. But if this is some of the same juice, it might be second-best exposure to that wine.

We’ve also got a Rose and two reds from the Bandol region of the French Provence, one spectacular great value from California in Cline’s Ancient Vines Mourvedre, and two Spanish selections of Monastrell from Yecla and Jumilla. Also, we’ve got a wine I’ve had in here before which is the Olivares Monastrell Dolce, which is a sweet and decadent red dessert wine. I love it, and it’s a perfect way to say “Yes, I still care about the CF pour.” It’s the second-to-last pour for the charity before the walk in Seattle, so come help out with that too!

So Friday, May 11th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Monastrell/Mourvedre/Mataro!!!
Torbreck 2006 “Saignee” Old Vine Mataro Rose, Barossa, Australia
Chateau Pierre Gaussen 2006 Rose, Bandol, France
Cline 2005 Ancient Vines Mourvedre, Contra Costa County, California
Bodegas Agapito Rico 2005 Carchelo, Jumilla, Spain
Barahonda 2005 Monastrell, Yecla, Spain

And a Coupl’a Bandol!!!
La Badiane 2003 Bandol, France
Domaine Gros Nore 2000 Bandol, France

Super-Special Sweet and Desserty Pour!!! (Still for CFF!)
Olivares 2003 Monastrell Dolce, Jumilla, Spain

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours, and $5 for the Charity Pour.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Italy’s Piedmont!

M