By Bruce Neyers

Thursday 5th February, 2026

The 2022 Mourvèdre ‘Evangelho Vineyard’ – A wine for all seasons

In the spring of 1982, Barbara and I arranged a working trip to France and Italy. I was the National Sales Manager at Joseph Phelps Vineyards then, but I bought most of my personal wine from Kermit. When I mentioned our plans to him, he offered to arrange a visit for us at Domaine Tempier in Bandol. I was familiar with their wines, but was eager to learn more about Mourvèdre. I accepted. Our trip began in Paris, and a friend had suggested a new, Michelin-starred restaurant for our opening night dinner. We were cautioned that it was a lively and popular hot spot, but our friend somehow wrangled a reservation. When we arrived, the hostess greeted us by name, introduced us to the owner, showed us to a table in a quiet, semi-private area, then seated us. All was done with a degree of friendliness that was, well, puzzling, almost like they had mistaken us for someone else. We were given menus and a wine list, and I saw that several bottlings of Domaine Tempier Bandol were being offered as part of a special program, so we ordered one. It arrived, and after it was opened and served, a gentleman seated with his back to us at the next table turned to me and, smiling, observed, ‘You made a great selection, young man.’ He then turned back to his dining companions, and I could hear him talking about the Tempier Bandol. I looked at Barbara, then informed her of our neighbor, ‘We’re sitting next to Orson Welles.’ We had a marvelous dinner, during which the hostess checked on us frequently, as did the owner and the chef. When the group at the table next to us prepared to leave, Orson Welles stood up, turned to me and asked, ‘How was that wine, young man?’ ‘Delicious,’ I replied, trying to sound like this happened to me every day.

A few days later we were headed south. When we arrived at Domaine Tempier, the reception was extraordinary. We knew Lulu and Lucien only through their wine, but we were greeted like old friends. Their two sons joined us, and Richard Olney had come from his home in nearby Solliès-Toucas. We proceeded to the cellar, and with Richard translating, Lucien meticulously tasted us through each parcel of his 1981 Bandol. It lasted almost two hours, and my lack of understanding of Mourvèdre changed to jaw-dropping awe as I began to see the subtle complexity of the variety in each cuvée. Lucien pointed out the characteristics in the wines, patiently explaining the singular terroir of each vineyard. It was the most illuminating wine experience of my life. We then moved to the dining room for lunch, passing through the large, Provençal kitchen with its wood-burning, open-hearth fireplace. There was a leg of lamb suspended on a string, roasting before the oak fire in the back. We were all seated when Lucien passed around a copper pitcher. The exterior of it was nearly enveloped in ice, as he had let it sit outside all night in the frigid weather, filled with the new vintage of Bandol Rosé. It would be bottled in a few weeks. Lulu brought out a platter of fresh mussels, cooked in the fireplace in their Mediterranean salt water. Meanwhile, the leg of spring lamb roasted over the wood fire. The drippings were collected in a metal pan that was filled with local potatoes. By the time the lamb was done, the lamb drippings had cooked them thoroughly. Lucien had selected several wines from his cellar, and we enjoyed the meal with the 1962 and 1968 Bandol from magnums, served side by side. I had moved from simply being in awe, to being completely overwhelmed. At this point, Lulu asked me how we liked our dinner in Paris. I began to explain my confusion at the fact that we had been the beneficiaries of such gracious, personal attention, but she politely interrupted me. ‘Oh, that’s good to hear,’ she said. ‘The owner is a friend of ours, and when I made the reservation, I asked her to take especially good care of you.’

I’ve never really looked at a glass of Mourvèdre or a wine made all or in part from it the same way since that visit. In 1996, we found some Mourvèdre grapes available from a vineyard in Oakley. We bought them and produced a wine that I enjoyed drinking until just a few years ago when I downed the last bottle. After a decade of working with several other growers, we met Frank Evangelho, and began to buy grapes grown on his Mourvèdre vineyard in Oakley. We lost Frank way too soon, sadly, but we continue to work with the old-vine grapes on this majestic property. We are currently selling the 2022 vintage, and when I drink a bottle, I get a sense of pleasure that approaches what I felt during that visit to Domaine Tempier, almost 50 years ago. The aroma is captivating, with its combination of exotic fruit, complex spice, and charming minerality. The texture is soft and juicy, but controlled, and the finish is long and satisfying. There are so many flavors that it’s difficult to begin to list them all. When I open a bottle, I feel, as I did that day at Domaine Tempier, like I could open another.

Garbanzo Bean Salad

Marinade Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 cup cilantro
• ¼ red onion, chopped
• 2 serrano peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Salad Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked and drained Rancho Gordo garbanzo beans
• 1 cup cucumber, peeled and diced
• ½ red onion, minced
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
• ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• Tortilla chips

Preparation

1. In a blender, combine lime juice, cilantro, red onion, serrano pepper, vinegar, salt and black pepper.
2. Combine the garbanzo beans, red onion, cucumber, serrano pepper and cilantro in a large bowl.
3. Pour marinade over the garbanzo bean salad and mix to incorporate the marinade.
4. Before serving, refrigerate salad for an hour or more.
5. Serve the salad with the slices of avocado and cherry tomatoes on top, and a side of tortilla chips.