Varietal Character

Mondeuse | Refosco
No matter which of your aliases you go by, you are like an iron fist in a velvet glove. You can be most charming and outwardly attractive, but there is a fiery side that lingers inside of you. Looking past your tailored image and pleasantly appealing demeanor there is a muscular body and a sharp tongue to match.

Appellations producing the most Mondeuse | Refosco wines:

Santa Cruz Mountains (AVA)	El Dorado (AVA)
California (State Appellation)	Santa Maria Valley (AVA)
Central Coast (AVA)

Mondeuse (aka. Refosco, Gros Syrah)

This characterful red grape grown in France’s alpine Savoie region is known as Refosco in hills of northern Italy. In both regions, given proper vineyard selection, the vine yields grapes that can produce concentrated red wines with high tannin levels and acidity. Alternatively known as Gros Syrah in France, though it is not related to Syrah (Shiraz) or Petite Sirah (Durif). Adding to the confusion, it was recently revealed by U.C Davis' Carole Meredith that the Petite Sirah vines grown in California were not only Durif, but also Mondeuse amongst other varietals. Mondeuse's acreage in North America is minor, most of which is in California, often planted by Cal-Ital wineries such as Montevina, who prefers to label it under its Refosco moniker. A few acres can also be found in Southern Oregon.