Winemaker Notes
In 1961, Paul and Pierre Bunan, men steeped in the wine-growing lore of the Mediterranean, fell in love with an estate in the Bandol region, a noble and widely respected wine growing area in the south of France.
Paul’s son, Laurent, returned to the family estate after completing his studies in oenology and winemaking in California. He was the first of the next generation to open the doors to a newer and more modern approach. Today he is in charge of the export and development of the Domaines Bunan. His sister Françoise is in charge of the communications with art playing a central role in her strategy. Pierre’s daughter Claire, has qualified in the field of wine marketing. Her brother Philippe hopes to become an agricultural engineer.
The combined talents of this family unite to create a warm, welcoming and highly skilled team. Excellence and authenticity are the hallmarks of this family who pride themselves on producing wines of exceptional quality.
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.