Winemaker Notes
The Bandol from Pradeaux is a creature whose soul emerges from Mourvèdre. One of the hallmarks of Pradeaux is that the grapes are never destemmed. The result is a wine of ferocious tannin in its youth, another reason for the prolonged aging in these large wooden barrels, a time for the wine to repose and find its identity as it emerges from the cocoon of tannins to reveal an exceptionally complex crowd of aromas and flavors.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Even tasted from half-bottle, the 2017 Bandol still needs a few more years in the cellar to be at its best. A blend of 94% Mourvèdre and 6% Grenache, it's a deep, dark, richly tannic offering with intense notes of plum and cola and a pleasant, herb-laced dose of strawberries and redcurrants. Full-bodied and sturdy, it nevertheless turns silky and elegant on the long, licorice-tinged finish.
Full of ripe fruit, and robust, earthy goodness, Mourvèdre is actually of Spanish provenance, where it still goes by the name Monastrell or Mataro. It is better associated however, with the Red Blends of the Rhône, namely Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Mourvèdre shines on its own in Bandol and is popular both as a single varietal wine in blends in the New World regions of Australia, California and Washington. Somm Secret—While Mourvèdre has been in California for many years, it didn’t gain momentum until the 1980s when a group of California winemakers inspired by the wines of the Rhône Valley finally began to renew a focus on it.
Provence’s leader in concentrated and age-worthy red wines, Bandol is home to the dense, deep and earthy Mourvèdre grape. Like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Bandol produces characterful reds that, while approachable in their youth, are typically designed for the cellar.
Given its coastal, Provencal situation, Bandol also naturally produces an assortment of charming, aromatic rosés made of Mourvèdre, Grenache and Cinsault.