Tibouren: The Mediterranean Mystery Machine

This week, I’d like to shed a spotlight on one of Europe’s most compelling, if lesser-known, wine grapes – Tibouren. Known as Tibouren in France, and Rossese just to the East along the Ligurian Coast in Italy, this unusual red grape produces some absolutely fascinating wines.

Tibouren’s origins are technically unknown, but ampelographers (those who study the classification of wine grapes) believe that the unique leaf morphology of the Tibouren vines suggests that it has origins in Greece or the Middle East, which would corroborate with the presence of Ancient Greek settlements along the Provencal coast in what is now Marseilles. It is a challenging grape to grow, as it is very susceptible to coulure, or “shatter,” which is when the grape fails to develop after flowering due to the plant’s metabolic response to extreme or unseasonal weather conditions. The milder, more consistent weather conditions along the Mediterranean coast are what make this relatively small area more suitable for Tibouren than anywhere else.

Because of the challenges this grape faces, it is easy to understand why it is not largely cultivated. Arguably no other grower is more synonymous with Tibouren than Provence’s Clos Cibonne, where Tibouren is the lifeblood of the Domaine. Their rosés are somewhat of a cult legend; the wines are aged under a thin layer of mold called fleurette (similar to flor in Sherry production) in 100 year old barrels, and can age gracefully for decades in a way that few rosés other than perhaps Bandol, are capable of. Few attempt to make a red wine from Tibouren alone, and theirs (if I absolutely had to make a list) is consistently one of my consistently favorite bottles. There is a depth of complexity and potential for the cellar that almost defies logic, as the wine itself is elegant and hardly tannic.

Just to the East across the Italian border in Liguria, Tibouren becomes Rossese, where it is the regional red underdog in a place known overwhelmingly for its white wines. The most well-known of these wines are the Rossese di Dolceacqua, which can be a little more round and soft than its counterpart in Provence. Here at Vintages, we have had the pleasure of selling limited quantities of Rossese from our friends at Bruna, a fantastic Pigato grower just to the Northeast of Dolceacqua. The wines are bright, mineral, floral and perfumey – a perfect pair to regional staples like Pesto alla Genovese or Fritto Misto di Mare (fried seafood). As I’ve said time and time again, Bruna was one of my favorite visits on my most recent trip, and I highly recommend eating and drinking your way along the Ligurian coast if you ever have the opportunity!

Experimenting with unusual European varietals isn’t something new to many California winemakers - but if anyone is going to double down with that idea and pick a challenging grape for an unorthodox concept, it would be Randall Grahm. Founder of the historic Bonny Doon label, as well as Le Cigare Volant, “The Rhone Ranger” has been a champion of biodynamic winemaking and Southern French varietals on California’s Central Coast. His latest project, “The Language of Yes,” his love letter not only to the Languedoc, but to the concept of terroir and its ability to bend the grape to its will. Here, we see what cooler, higher-altitude vineyard sites can make of Tibouren, as well as Rhone varietals, when the standard California treatment for them is usually more heat and more extraction.

No matter the origin, this flowery, ethereal, somewhat mysterious little grape makes for compelling wine and is not to be missed! Check out out some of these great options below: