Tasting notes:
Fruity nose of blueberry and mulberry
Dense core
Dark berry finish with dry herbs and cassis
This wine is wild and untamed! It has an exotic taste of berries and herbs, and is still quite tannic. After decanting, the wine softened a bit but continued to be chewy and dense. It also has a striking dark purple color, that looked beautiful in the decanter.
From a tiny region in Southern France, Bandol is made primarily from Mourvedre. The grapes are extremely ripe, but there's an underlying herbal tone that makes some of these wine taste almost wild and this is no exception.
I paid $32 for the bottle, and have seen it for as much as $40. If you're ready to do some exploring in France's lesser-known regions, look for a Bandol. And raise a glass!
Bandols are terrific and Tempier is the rock star of the small AOC. You don't mention it, but age helps a lot. Many Bandol aficionados leave it on the shelf until at least 10 years after the vintage to allow the tannins to soften. I've got a basement full of Tempier, Pibarnon, Pradeaux and others, and with the application of time, Bandols turn into something truly spectacular
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