Mondeuse is a peppery red grape variety grown in Savoie. Small amounts are grown in Argentina, Australia and California. There is an obscure white variety, Mondeuse Blanche, though DNA analysis suggests the varieties are not related and Mondeuse usually refers to Mondeuse Noire.
Mondeuse has some of the same characteristics as the southern Rhône Muscardin, one of the varieties permitted in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but Muscardin is less susceptible to downy mildew.
The variety was nearly wiped out in France during the phylloxera epidemic and plantings fell sharply in the 1970s, with just over 200 hectares left in 2000. Plantings have increased recently, since it can produce high-quality, deeply coloured wines with concentrated tart plum flavours and a slightly bitter finish. In Savoie Mondeuse is blended with Gamay, Pinot Noir or Poulsard contributing dark colour and high acid levels that allow the wines to age well.
Australian drinkers are most likely to come across the variety in the Brown Brothers Shiraz, Mondeuse & Cabernet blend, a dense, full-bodied wine with intense fruits and tannins that benefits from extended cellaring. Not a wine to be drunk young...