Chateau Mourgues Du Gres Galets Rouge Costieres De Nimes

Mourgues du Gres is a medium sized domaine siuated just outside Nimes in southern France.

It is certified organic and produces clean fruit forward wines which have a heart felt Frenchness about them. Mourgues was originally a Provençal name for Ursuline nuns, the farm originally having belonged to a convent near the village of Beaucaire. With Mont Ventoux visible from the top of the vineyard slopes this is a region that feels closer to Provence or the Rhône than the Languedoc.

The vineyard site is made up of flat pebbles called Grès and is planted with a mixture of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc. Les Galets refer to the large stones (also found in Châteauneuf) which heat up during the day and release their warmth at night, perfect for ripening those reds.

François Collard is continuing his approach to environmental practices in the vineyard and in the cellar: Agro-ecological including winter grazing by sheep, management of the vineyard using Organic Agriculture and Biodynamics. Working the wine with low sulphite contents for greater purity and brightness of the fruit.

François' organic approach has expanded to include biodynamics. The work in the vineyard respects natural cycles (solar and lunar in particular) to optimize the effectiveness of natural inputs (natural compost, biodynamic preparations, etc.).

François aims to boost the exchanges between the vine, the soil and its environment. This stimulates the defense capabilities of the vine which takes deeper roots and becomes more resilient. Biodynamics also relies on the preservation of biodiversity (cypress hedges, scrubland, wildlife, etc.).

Syrah, Grenache, Marselan, Mourvedre

The Syrah vines are more than forty years old; advantageous in hot years such as 2003 and 2005 when the well-established root systems could probe the clay calcareous marl in search of moisture.

At the crossroads of the Rhône, Camargue and Languedoc, the mosaic of terroirs combines with the richness of the grape varieties. The wines are shaped by the characteristics of the Mediterranean climate:

The water: The Rhône located a few kilometers away has shaped the stony soils. This exceptional terroir of pebbles (sandstone) is based on clay-limestone marls which offer precious water resources. The vines will thus draw on depth and humidity which contribute to the balance of our wines.

The Sun The sundial features the Latin motto “Sine Sole Nihil”, Nothing Without Sun.
It symbolizes the search for beautiful maturity and richness while preserving the harmony of the wine.

The stone: The stony alluvium was transported almost 2 million years ago.
This minerality, signature of the estate's wines, gives balance and freshness to the wines.

The wind: The North wind with the dry and cold breath of the Mistral fights humidity, a source of illness. The south wind with its summer sea breezes contributes to the freshness and purity of the fruit in the wines.

Predominance of Syrah supplemented with Grenache.
Depending on the vintage, Mourvèdre completes this blend (see technical sheet). Vinification without sulfur for greater purity and brightness of the fruit. Slight addition to the wine to ensure the stability and aging of the wine. Aging for 12 to 15 months in concrete vats for a wine combining roundness, freshness and balance.

A full bodied wine of honesty and simple, easy drinking pleasure.

Dark ruby-red in colour. On the nose scents of kirsch, figs and herbes de Provence. Very smooth in texture with ripe flavours of cherries and raspberries backed up by a nice long tannic finish. Almost Chateauneuf-like in character.

Drink with braised artichoke hearts, lamb chops sauteed with herbes de Provence or wild boar in a red wine casserole.