Domaine De Mourchon
By David Keck
In this chilly winter weather with lots of snow on the way, some of the wines we want to drink over here at the VT Wine Shepherd are rich, spicy, winter-warming Rhône wines. We just picked up wines from one of the great young producers in the Southern part of the Rhône, where old-vine Grenache dominates and the warmth of the region smiles through the glass.
Domaine de Mourchon was founded in 1998 by Scot Walter McKinlay with his wife, Ronnie, in a classic southern Rhône setting between the Mont Ventoux and medieval town of Séguret in the shadow of the stunning Dentelles de Montmirail. After working in IT and hospitality (they owned the Udny Arms Hotel in Aberdeen, Scotland), Walter thought he’d like to retire in the South of France with a winery. But like many driven into the wine business by passion, he quickly realized that there was nothing like retirement about starting a winery (especially after exploring over 60 properties throughout the Rhône and choosing the one with the most promise, old vines, and amazing terroir). Not one to be deterred by hard work and an involved project, McKinlay started Domaine de Mourchon.
The fruit from the Mourchon vineyards used to all go to the local co-op, but Walter and Ronnie wanted to produce an estate wine that was as formidable as those from nearby Gigondas and Vacqueyras. Their daughter, Kate, is now running the estate, with the talented Sébastien Magnouac making the wines since 2000. Conversion to organics began some time ago, with the first fully organic vintage in 2017 and the certification finalized in 2020.
We are currently working with the two estate wines that demonstrate not only the beauty of the fruit from this somewhat rustic and unique part of the Rhône, but also the structure and age-worthy nature of the winemaking:
Domaine de Mourchon Côtes-du-Rhône 2018
One of our favorite bottlings from this part of France—demonstrates the amazing value to be found outside of some of the more famous regions like Chateauneuf or Gigondas. A blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah from 40+ year old vines, it sees élévage in concrete tanks. Spicy without being austere, ripe without being overblown, perfect for a winter stew.
Domaine de Mourchon Côtes-du-Rhône 2018
One of our favorite bottlings from this part of France—demonstrates the amazing value to be found outside of some of the more famous regions like Chateauneuf or Gigondas. A blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah from 40+ year old vines, it sees élévage in concrete tanks. Spicy without being austere, ripe without being overblown, perfect for a winter stew.
Cheers!
Stay tuned for the arrival of the Loubié Rosé 2020, always one of the best rosés from the Rhône and perfect for Spring skiing.