Domaine de la Bégude was purchased in 1996 by seventh-generation winemaker Guillaume Tari, who was raised at Château Giscours in Margaux which his grandfather acquired in 1954. Once a stopover for travellers seeking shelter and sustenance – ‘beguda’ means ‘drink’ or ‘the place to drink’ in Provençal – the estate was abandoned and overgrown when Guillaume discovered it. He and his wife set about replanting the old terraces and restoring the buildings. The estate totals 500 hectares, of which thirty have been replanted, predominantly with Mourvèdre. Guillaume is fascinated by Mourvèdre’s capacity to evolve in bottle, and this partly inspired his creation of the world’s largest collection of Mourvèdre clones, now comprising 116. The estate achieved organic certification in 2006.
The wine displays an aromatic bouquet of fresh raspberry and blackcurrant notes intermingled with citrus and floral aromas. The palate is juicy with bright red fruit and a hint of savoury spice and garrigue.
