16 Apr Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Phelan Farms 2023 Mondeuse, SLO Coast

Oh mon dieu Monduese! How have I not enjoyed you before? An under-the-radar red wine variety, it just recently hit my radar! So little is planted in California that it is not listed on the California Acreage Report. But luckily there is some grown in the SLO Coast by Raj Parr who makes a single varietal bottling, the Phelan Farms 2023 Mondeuse, SLO Coast, the Please The Palate wine of the week.

About Mondeuse

Mondeuse is a well established red grape variety of France, grown mostly around the Savoy region of eastern France. Sadly, Mondeuse vineyards were almost completely destroyed during the phylloxera epidemic. But some of the grapes survived, and due to its adaptability to diverse climates and environments, there are plantings found in Argentina, Switzerland, Sicily, and California. Still, 80% of Mondeuse is planted in France. But, post-phylloxera, the grape never got back to its former acreage.

Mondeuse is a high-yielding variety. Because of its bitter flavors, a popular synonym for the grape is “Maldoux”, which means “badly sweet” in French. Mondeuse produces wines with a deep purple color, well-structured acidity, and well-integrated tannins with aromas of red fruits, flowers, spice, and savory notes.

About Phelan Farm

Phelan Farm is a 1,100-acre ranch located in the SLO Coast AVA, a 15-minute drive from the town of Cambria and only a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. Phelan Farm began in the 1850s as a homestead where the family worked the land, planting crops and raising animals. Family descendent Greg Phelan planted 11 acres of own-rooted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 2007. In 2019, Raj Parr found this 12-acre vineyard and leased the property. He kept some of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay but has grafted many of the own-rooted vines to grape varieties suited to the area’s cool climate. This included French varieties from the Jura and Savoie regions, including Mondeuse, Savagnin Vert, Savganin Jaune, Poulsard, Altesse, Trousseau, and Gamay Noir. The vines are farmed regeneratively and the wines are made with minimal intervention.

Tasting Notes

This wine is 100% Mondeuse. The whole cluster grapes spent fourteen days macerating in stainless steel tanks before aging in neutral oak. The wine was then bottled with no fining or filtration and with no SO2 additions. The wine is a deep purple color. On the nose, it has lovely cherry and raspberry aromas and subtle spice notes. On the palate, the wine is elegant with smooth tannins and a juicy finish. If I had to describe this wine, I would say it sits between the brightness and juiciness of Gamay and the spiciness of Syrah.

Food Pairing

Mondeuse is a versatile wine that easily pairs with a variety of meats, as well as a cheese board. I would also try it with a hearty vegetable dish, such as ratatouille. I enjoyed this wine with our Passover Seder dinner of slow-cooked brisket, sweet potatoes, and asparagus. The smooth tannins and juicy acidity were a great match with the savory meat and the subtle spice notes were enhanced by the spices in the brisket.

Where To Purchase

Only one barrel was made of the Phelan Farms 2023 Mondeuse, SLO Coast, which retails for $55. If still available, it can be purchased directly on the Phelan Farm website.