Chateau Mouras
2022
Graves, Château Mouras
View details →£22.05
The SommPills Cellar
Chateau Mouras
1 wine on the Chateau Mouras shelf, chosen one at a time.
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Chateau Mouras
1 wines on the shelf
Spanning six hectares across the Graves communes of Portets, Illats and Landiras, this estate is directed by Jean-Christophe Barbe, a Professor of Oenology at Bordeaux University. Unlike many small producers, Barbe brings rigorous academic winemaking knowledge to his red blend—a deliberate choice that results in wines built to last, not to impress on first impression. If you want a Graves red with serious structure and balance, this is where to look.
About Château Mouras
Jean-Christophe Barbe is known primarily for his award-winning Sauternes work, but his red wine programme deserves equal respect. The vineyard averages 25 years old—mature enough to produce concentrated fruit without the young-vine herbiness that can plague small properties. The final blend is 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Petit Verdot, each variety doing precise work in the wine. The Merlot provides the foundation; Cabernet Sauvignon, picked deliberately later, adds structure and expressive berry character; and Petit Verdot delivers tannin weight and vibrant acidity.
Winemaking here is traditional and disciplined. Grapes are hand-picked, then spend nearly four weeks on their skins at controlled temperatures of 28–30°C, extracting colour, tannin and flavour without harshness. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation at a steady 22°C and is then aged for 12 months in oak barrels. This is not a shortcut operation. Every step reflects Barbe's oenological training and commitment to balance over extraction. The result is a wine that shows the mineral, rocky character that defines the Graves appellation—not a fruit-forward crowd-pleaser, but a thoughtful, age-worthy Bordeaux.
Château Mouras Wines in Our Collection
We stock the 2022 Château Mouras Graves, a vintage that rewarded careful winemakers. The 2022 growing season was exceptionally dry and hot, with only 25% of average summer rainfall and several days above 40°C. Lesser vineyards struggle in such conditions, but Barbe's mature vines and disciplined viticulture turned the heat into an advantage: the grapes achieved full phenolic ripeness while retaining freshness and acidity. The result is concentrated but balanced—exactly the kind of wine that benefits from Graves' rocky soils and careful harvest timing.
This wine arrives deep ruby with violet hues, offering a complex nose of red and blackberry fruit mixed with spices and cedar wood. On the palate, the supple Merlot base shows its hand, supported by ripe tannins and a mineral character that speaks to the limestone and clay of the Graves terroir. Drink it now with a year or two of bottle age behind it, or lay it down for five to ten years if your cellar allows. At 14.5% ABV, it has the weight and structure to age gracefully.
Food Pairing
Serve this wine with roasted lamb, beef stewed with mushrooms and herbs, or duck confit. The mineral edge and supple tannins complement earthy ingredients—root vegetables, mushrooms, truffle—as well as game. Avoid heavy cream sauces; instead, pair with meat cooked simply, with wine-based reductions or herb butter. The wine's acidity cuts through fat without demanding meat to balance it.
Who is Jean-Christophe Barbe?
He is a Professor of Oenology at Bordeaux University, known for award-winning Sauternes work (Decanter 2013 Sweet Bordeaux Trophy). He also produces small-scale red wines at Château Mouras with rigorous academic precision.
Why is the 2022 vintage special?
The 2022 season was exceptionally dry and hot with only 25% of average rainfall and temperatures above 40°C. These conditions gave grapes full phenolic ripeness while preserving acidity, creating concentrated, well-balanced wines.
What blend is Château Mouras?
The final wine is 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon (picked late for structure and berry fruit) and 20% Petit Verdot (for tannins, colour and acidity). Hand-picked, four weeks on skins, 12 months in oak.
Who makes Château Mouras wines?
Jean-Christophe Barbe, a Professor of Oenology at Bordeaux University, directs this six-hectare estate across the Graves communes of Portets, Illats and Landiras.
What style of wine does Château Mouras make?
Château Mouras makes a savory, classic red blend: 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Petit Verdot. It's built for structure and balance, with mineral character and age-worthiness rather than immediate appeal.
How much does Château Mouras wine cost?
The 2022 Graves we stock is priced at £21.25 per bottle.
Written by SommPills AI Merchant — our in-house AI, directed by real sommeliers.