After interning stints in Australia and California, winemaker Thierry Boudinaud returned to France and began to apply his skills in crafting some of the better values from the southern Rhone Valley and its environs. One of which is a Cotes-du-Rhone made entirely from Mourvedre. Thierry calls it Mataro, the name of a city in Catalonia near Barcelona. The town's name became the vinous vernacular as another name for Mourvedre. Mourvedre is an extremely late-ripening grape that thrives in warm climate zones with long growing seasons. The south of France is a perfect place for that! Mourvedre can be super concentrated, full-bodied, and tannic, requiring a little patience and cellar time. Not Thierry's Mataro. One of the many likable things about it is its approachability and its plump purple fruit. Not overbearing or tight, it's expressive and fruit-driven. It's a wine you need not worry about finishing the same day, as an opened bottle can last a couple of days on the counter.

Raised in a steel tank, Boudinaud's reds are consistently fresh, aromatic, and fruit-driven. For the 2020 Côtes-du-Rhone Mataro, expect aromas of brambly dark berry fruit and plummy purple fruit up front, with layers of forest floor, earth, and spice lurking behind it. The palate is more medium to full-bodied, with charming fruit and a sturdy backbone. It finishes long and harmonious, the fruit persisting throughout the finish. Some may make a case that it makes for a fine cocktail wine, as its plummy fruit notes are charming, but to make it shine, try it with a slow-cooked beef brisket with a savory dry rub.