It’s not often you get to try a single varietal Mourvèdre. Indeed it might seem foolhardy to make one. It’s most easily appreciated in company. It contributes substantial tannin and flesh in classic blends such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape or in new world combos – take California’s GMS Rhone rangers (Grenache/Mourvèdre/Syrah). On the hot hillsides of Bandol in the South of France they can pull off the single variety, but in Washington?

Gramercy Cellars have decided to give it a whirl. Winemaker Brandon Moss tells me it ripens well in the dessert-like climate. They’ve called their Mourvèdre – L’Idiot du Village. The nose could not wait to get a sniff. Well… deep inhale, maybe not so idiotic. While the French version, like a gnarly French farmer, can take time to come around, Gramercy’s Mourvèdre has an exuberant, forward and open character. Sweet and earthy, there is black fruit generosity with an underlying savoury umami character.

The ebullient Brandon Moss achieves this by blending two very different expressions of Mourvèdre. The ripe fruity side comes from a vineyard near Red Mountain AVA (American Viticultural Area), while vines planted in the hot and windy Horse Heaven Hills provide structure and more savoury characters. “It’s aged in concrete. “Mourvèdre does not handle new oak well. It needs old oak or concrete,” says Brandon.

Washington State is an undeniably hot place, well suited not only to Mouvèdre but its old Rhone partner in crime, Syrah. Gramercy Cellars, established by Master Sommelier Greg Harrington, makes a big, fruity Columbia Valley Syrah and a more powerful and compact Syrah with plenty of spice from old vines, labelled Lagniappe. These are pretty full on wines, but they’re also in pursuit of a more elegant style.

“In Washington, the days are longer than in California, but the acidity can really drop off later in the season, so people are hunting out the cooler sites,” remarks Brandon Moss. Walla Walla is an AVA within the Colombia Valley and Forgotten Hills is the coolest part of this. It lies at the foot of the Blue Mountains where the temperature can get quite cool. “It has a mountain influence so it can be difficult to achieve 22 Brix,” says Brandon. This cooler climate makes a leaner, more peppery Syrah. The harvest date of Gramercy’s Forgotten Hills Syrah is determined by acidity and this freshness is key to the style. As it’s grown on volcanic soil, it also has mineral grip.

Washington is also increasingly making a name for its Cabs which, like Syrah, can differ widely in style. From the hot Red Mountain AVA, Col Solare 2013 is a slick, international show stopper with deeply generous fruit and honed tannins… a flashy union of Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinori with Washington’s Chateau Ste. Michelle.

These Red Mountain cabs are impressive and can age well. Cadence Camerata 2012 (90% Cab Sav) is a deep, dark and sweetly fruity wine with an aniseed bite to the tannins. It’s a heady 14.5%. It’s not without charm, but this level of oomph and alcohol knocks me out. I am generally happier with something a little more restrained and Seven Hills Summit View Cabernet Sauvignon fits the bill with cooler fruit and a fresh backbone. No surprise this is from the cooler Walla Walla AVA.

I just have to mention Gramercy’s The Third Man Grenache with its yummy, ripe red cranberry fruit, which flirts with a touch of super ripe black fruit Syrah and a bit of gamey Mourvèdre “It was not a complete wine with just Grenache,” says Brendon. On this note I think we can conclude that Mourvèdre is rather maligned as ‘the village idiot.’ Nope…it’s just nicely idiosyncratic.

In the following film Brandon Moss of Gramercy cellars shares his enthusiasm for Mourvèdre. He also does a splendid job of explaining the Columbia Valley AVA with its cooler sub-regions including Walla Walla and opportunities for blending. The diversity of fruit produces wines such as their Columbia Valley Syrah which includes a ‘savoury’ Syrah from the fashionable Rocks AVA blended with fruity Syrah from the wider Colombia Valley.

Stockists

Gramercy Cellar wines are available in the UK from Stannary Street Wine Company

Col Solare 2013 from Enotria & Coe

More information from Washington Wines