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Bandol 2005: Introduction
This
summer, as I sat under a baking Provence sun, I found myself wondering why I don't
fill my cellar with more of the wines of Bandol. There
is great diversity of style to be found in this small Mediterranean appellation, frequently in tandem with
wonderful quality; this became increasingly apparent as I sampled the wines of
the few domaines I visited.
There is delicious white wine, based on the likes of Clairette, Bourboulenc, and
Rhône varieties such as Marsanne. The rosé can be wonderful, good examples
easily matching up to the most structured and aromatic of white wines. And, of
course, the red wines...interesting, stimulating, mouth-filling, flavoursome,
structured, age-worthy Mourvèdre-dominated reds. Surely these are what most of
us come to Bandol for. These wines can be superb, with basic examples providing
an affordable way to fill the cellar for short and mid-term ageing, whereas the
more noble cuvées can age very well, Mourvèdre's characteristic resistance to
oxidation carrying the wines through several decades of healthy drinkability; why,
oh why, don't I buy and drink more of these great
value wines?
My excursion to the vineyards of Bandol took in two producers new to me, Ray-Jane and Bunan, although these are by no means new to the Bandol scene; both are well established producers. Certainly one of these was well worth visiting, with some lovely wines available, although even they could not match the quality provided by my two old favourites, Tempier and Pibarnon; I paid both of these fine estates a visit, well worth the time in the case of Pibarnon especially, where I tasted the most delicious, aromatic, structured, savoury, pleasing rosé I have ever tasted, together with a fine mini-vertical of recent red vintages. All my tasting notes will be published over the next few weeks. In the meantime, having brought back just a couple of bottles from my trip, I'm off to find some of these wines to stock up my cellar. (4/10/05)
Bandol 2005: I visit four top domaines...
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