The Giant of Bandol
When we think of wines from Provence these days we mostly think of pale pink rosés that animate cafés of Nice, Monte Carlo and St. Tropez. But just like the massive Mt. Ventoux, called the "Giant of Provence," looms over the horizon, on the tip of Provence is an appellation of towering greatness.
That appellation is of course Bandol, one of the most famous and most powerful names among French AOPs. Its history goes back to the Phoceans in the 6th Century BC and was heralded in the 18th century by the court of Louis XV. The wines are dominated by the red variety, Mourvèdre, which brings power along with a wild (sauvage) character that becomes more pronounced with age. These vines soak up the bright Mediterranean sun and concentrate it into wines that last for decades.
After phylloxera and World War II, Bandol farmers mixed in more grenache and other Rhône varieties that are easier to grow but the top producers like Tempier, Pibarnon, Pradeaux still rely heavily on Mourvèdre to make their iconic bottlings. The newest producer who spares no expense to make Mourvèdre-dominated Bandol, Guilhem Tournier, may be the most extreme of them all.
Guilhem Tournier is himself a giant of Provence, being a large man in stature with his own air of sauvage. Like Washington state’s iconoclastic winemaker, Christophe Baron (Cayuse), Tournier is a strong disciple of biodynamic farming who established his own domaine in 2004, because his family vineyards didn’t go as far into organics as he wanted. He plows his six hectare vineyard in the Medieval village La Cardière d’Azur with draft horses, using only natural fertilizers and native yeasts in the fermentations.
This fastidiousness verges on the extreme when Bandol already has some of the highest AOC standards in France, but Guilhem knows he's got something truly special. His Mourvèdre vines come from cuttings from Ch. Beaucastel and Ch. Simone, brought over during WWII by Tournier’s grandfather along with Lucien Peyraud (Tempier). His vines cling to slopes overlooking the Bay of Bandol, because as he says, “Mourvèdre must see the sea.” He features his well-bred Mourvèdre in his Cuvée Malissonne, which, at 95% of the blend, has one of the highest percentages of Mourvèdre in Bandol, comparable to the top wine of Tempier, Cuvée Cabassou, that retails for almost three times the price.
While the best Bandol Rouge wines like these are densely structured and powerful they have a different feel to them from other regions like Bordeaux or the Northern Rhône. There is a sunny nature to the red fruit and the herbal aromatics bring the elusive garrigue of Provence which make them appropriate in warmer times with grilled meats and dining en plein aire. The Tournier Bandol is a fantastic barbecue wine with herb crusted lamb or steaks while the Rosé would be ideal with Salade Niçoise or grilled salmon. If you love bold wines, let the Bordeaux and Syrahs age over the summer and pop open some Bandol. It’ll make you feel you’re right by the sea on the Riviera.
We have the current 2019 release in stock and if you’d like to see just how well Bandol ages there are small amounts of 2013 and 2015 vintages available. Grab some while you can!
