Mourvedre is generally known as the unforgiving grape of the Rhone. Slow to ripen, slow to age, and densely tannic, most winemakers along France’s Mediterranean coast use it sparingly, a small proportion of any given blend to give structure and earthy flavors other grapes lack. It is in fact Illegal to label a pure Mourvedre wine under the generally-super-flexible Languedoc appellation. Olivier Coste, winemaker at Domaine Montrose, does it anyway, with grapes from a small hillside plot in Roquessels, a village nestled in the rugged country of Haut-Languedoc. The cooler nighttime temperatures help to keep the grapes fresh, and he ages the wine in steel to preserve the pure fruit aromas that often get lost among Mourvedre’s savory notes. Get ready for a wallop of blackberry pie, orange oil, tarragon and tarry earth. The palate continues the theme with intense black berry and cherry in a full bodied wine with tense tannins dusted with warm baking spices. Earth lingers on the finish. Calling all fans of full bodied reds, and especially fans of Bandol!