Winemaker Notes
From steep slopes in the hills above the estate, this is perhaps the most wildly perfumed of the trio, lots of summer herbs and brambles on the nose, with a soft juicy core, possibly from a bit of Cinsault in there, from the acclaimed La Louffe microclimate in the heart of La Migoua. Expressive and tasty.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
A savory, earthy Bandol, with high-toned notes of dried lavender and dusty incense filled out with subtle details of red berries and plum flecked with hints of smoked meat. Grilled sandalwood wafts out on the sneakily long finish. Offers a great mix of freshness, depth and finesse, with nicely sculpted tannins. Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah.
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.