 Mondeuse Noire is a red wine grape grown mainly in the Savoie region of eastern France. Its heritage is a topic of much debate among those who study and classify grapevines. Some have suggested than Mondeuse Noire is identical to the northern Italian variety Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, while others argue it is the same grape as Muscardin, which is one of the 13 grape varieties permitted in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It’s also been suggested that it is the larger-berried form of Syrah called Gros Syrah.
It certainly cannot be both Syrah and Refosco and most likely is neither. The grape was hit hard during the phylloxera epidemic of the 19th Century which nearly wiped out the vine from eastern France. In Savoie, the grape is used in blending with Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Poulsard, where it contributes its dark color and high acid levels to the wine which allow the wines to age well.
It can give good wines if the planting site is chosen carefully, and it seems to excel in the Combe de Savoie sector where growers like André and Michel Quénard maintain old vines wherever their soils are rich in clay. Like Refosco, Mondeuse is deeply-colored, gives a dark-scented aroma of plums, and a bitter cherry twist to its finish. One distinction, at least for this taster, is that Mondeuse has a uniquely peppery finish. It’s the perfect wine for the Savoyard pork smoked sausages called “diots” or “poumoniers” flavored with spinach and leeks.
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