2020 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé

Domaine Tempier is without doubt the most famous estate from the Bandol. The rose version has been the highest scoring wine in the Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator for years. The rosé can rightly be called a top wine and is gastronomically a masterpiece. The wine is made mainly from Mourvèdre supplemented with Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan.

The wine comes from the estate's younger vines with an average age of 21 years and from Grenache vines of 39 years old. The grapes come from all available plots; la Migoua, la Tourtine and Cabassaou included. Harvesting is done manually, 10% comes from short-term soaking, 45% direct pressing and 45% skin soaking for 8 hours. Fermentation and maturation in concrete and vitrified steel tanks. Partial malic acid fermentation.

This beautiful rosé has a color of old pink and red copper. Impressive bouquet with notes of minerals, red forest fruits and spices. The taste is particularly intense, fresh and has an unprecedented length and complexity. This sublime rosé can of course be drunk as a nice aperitif, but is very suitable as an accompaniment to langoustines, lobster, grilled or raw tuna and salmon. Great and will continue to improve in the coming years.

Bandol is an old port town on the Mediterranean, located between Toulon and Marseille. The hills directly behind the coast offer an extraordinary terroir for the Mourvèdre grape, which can rise to unprecedented heights here. The tiny Bandol appellation undoubtedly supplies the greatest red wines in all of Provence and one of the most captivating and impressive wines in all of France. The leading producer here is Domaine Tempier. Tempier has been in the possession of the Peyraud family since 1843. It was thanks to them that the wine was assigned its own appellation in 1941. In the 1990s, the level of the wines of this legendary producer declined slightly, but with the arrival of the young ambitious winemaker Daniel Rabier, the wines are back at the top as of the 2000 harvest. In addition to the red basic cuvée, three special cuvées are made, each of which comes from the best grapes from a specific vineyard. In addition, they also make an excellent white wine and a sensational rosé that, according to many, is even the best rosé in the world. Clive Coates: “Bandol is where you will find the expression of the Mourvedre at it most untrammelled and – if you are patient enough – most triumphant. And in Bandol the best source is the Domaine Tempier at Le Plan du Castellet”.