Autumn Tints

Our eleventh harvest at Domaine de Mourchon producing the 2009 vintage has come and gone and we have now completed the decuvages and the juice will age over the coming eighteen months, before being ready for bottling.

Our activities will now concentrate on viticulture, maintaining the wires supporting the vines and the commencement of the winter pruning programme. Currently, we are seeing the beautiful autumn tints across the vines as can be seen in the photograph.

Michael Broadbent in Decanter

"Back to the old country - France - for yet another wine new to me, Domaine de Mourchon's Grande Reserve 2006 from Cote du Rhone-Villages Seguret. Owned since 1998 by a British family, the MacKinlays, who kindly sent me a bottle to taste. Familiar grapes, 65% Grenache and 35% Syrah, old vines, low yield, 40% in oak blended with 60% in concrete vats. A most attractive brochure which, as is my wont, I read avidly. Set in a secluded valley, the 'steep slopes' looked rather on the flat side to me but there was a rather sensuous hint of a downward slope on the near horizon. Still, I musn't carp. I liked the wine despite its robust alcoholic content (15%) which gave it a hot finish. Colour appropriately deep with youthful purple core and rich legs. Nose and flavour full of fruit, meaty and spicy. I didn't open it 'several hours' before serving - surely right - but, the next best thing, decanted it (not for sediment's sake - I didn't notice any) into my open jug. It is worth leaving to age and mature. Well priced for its quality. If only we lived in France." Michael Broadbent (Decanter, November 2009)

Harvest 2009

Sébastien and Debbie completing "décuvage" from a tank of red grapes.











It was a nervous start to this year’s harvest – 14th of September – with heavy rain putting a stop to the picking just two days after we were under way. The decision was made to wait until the parcels of vines were dry enough to work. On the 22nd of September, five days later, we continued with the picking and were fortunate enough to experience a beautiful stretch of weather giving us perfect conditions to complete the Harvest on the 30th of September.


Natural fermentation in Demi-Muids 600 litre barrels for our Grenache Family Reserve.


This summer’s hot weather kept the volume down to forty percent less than the 2008 harvest – the lower volume was general throughout the region. However, the quality of the juice appears encourageing and hopefully will give us a fine vintage for 2009.

From Northern America - Rick Steves

During the past few months, we have had the pleasure to host visiting groups of American and Canadian wine enthusiasts organised by the American Tour Operator Rick Steves.

The visitors have displayed a keen interest in acquiring a greater knowledge of wine and how it is made. With explanations of viticulture and viniculture together with tasting the range of Mourchon wines finishing with lunch, our guests have expressed many positive comments and promises to search for the Mourchon brand when back home in North-America.

We look forward to welcoming next season’s tour visitors and the continuing growth of wine interest around the world.

Danish Wine Press

Kate McKinlay represented the Domaine at customer Erik Soerenson’s tasting in Denmark last month. The event was well-organised and attracted more wine enthusiasts than was expected. Kate, with thirty or so other wine producers, was showing the Mourchon range including the Tradition and Grande Réserve Cuvees.


Whilst in Copenhagen, she delivered samples for journalist Niels Lilleland who subsequently reviewed the Domaine’s wine in newspaper Vinkyperen i newspaper Jyllands Posten:

Tradition Seguret
Krydret, ganske kølig, god elegance – flot koncentreret uden at den på nogen tipper mod det massive. Drikkeklar. 89 point. 100 kr. Erik Sørensen
(Spicy, quite cool, good elegance – beautiful concentration but not too much - ready to drink. 89 points)

Grande Reserve Seguret
Markant vin med stor tæthed i frugten. Pebret, krydret, men først og fremmest tæt, saftig og sødmefuld. Et vist potentiale. 91+ point. 150 kr. Erik Sørensen
(Remarkable wine, massive fruit. Pepper, spicy, dense, juicy and nice mature sweetness. Aging potential. 91+ points

Cuisine et Vins de France - Spécial Vins

Cuisine et Vins de France about Domaine de Mourchon in their September-October edition Spécial Vins (Hors Série):



"In 1998 a Scots couple, Walter and Ronnie McKinlay whose anglo-saxon clan had no wine making experience, invested in a 17 Hectare vineyard in the hills behind the village of Seguret. The property has a southern exposure and the vines are planted on grey limestone. Very quickly Walter understood that if he wanted to make things work he needed a solid team around him. "He asked us to spend a holiday in Provence" said Kate, his daughter and with her partner Hugo they decided to become involved. Since then, they are running the Domaine with father and mother and with time their wine has gained confidence. 2006 vintage, the Grande Réserve (15€), round, well-balanced with freshness and texture, gorgeous. For more pleasure, try the Family Reserve (20€), a truly majestic Syrah."

Jamie Goode's Wine Blog "A Really Nice Southern Rhône"

Follows an extract from Jamie Goode’s wine blog in which he reviews our Côtes du Rhône Villages Tradition 2007 and Grande Reserve 2006. The 2007 vintage in the Southern Rhône has received many plaudits from the international wine media.

"Domaine de Mourchon Séguret Tradition 2007 Côtes du Rhône Villages, France
14% alcohol, unoaked. A beautiful expression of the southern Rhône, this is a deep coloured wine with lovely sweet, dark cherry, blackberry and plum fruit aromatics, as well as hints of meat and spice. The palate shows lovely sweet, vivid fruit, but with added meat and pepper complexity, adding a deliciously savoury counter to the ripe fruit. It’s dense and well structured, but lush and smooth at the same time. Really successful: modern but interesting, with plenty of non-fruit complexity. 91/100."