Warm and wholesome nose consisting of cooked raspberry/blueberry, date, fresh boiled red beans, hojicha tea, camellia flower/seed/oil, iron, and a touch of animal funk or balsamic sauce. Massive amount of ripe/round/extroverted tannin - having very low center of gravity but waxy, velvety and smooth. Music analogy - Yo-Yo Ma (a crowd pleaser with rich bright sound with big showy vivrato, but not totally lacking serious depth). Dog analogy by my wife - Golden Retriever. Ripe, gentle, and hedonistic - I was expecting tighter/closed style from other people’s review but my bottle was not (at least when paired with spicy Nepali foods and served in a big Burgundy glass).
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wanted to try one of these but will not rate it now as it’s way too early to drink. Deep dark colour N: rum raisin, white spirit, vanilla, chocolate, leather, plum jam, root vegetables
P: Tannins galore (like a smack in the face), dark fruit, plum, blackberry, leather, chocolate and finnish licorice, long finish
To be put away in the back of the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted 3 hrs. While certainly the youthful structure of a young Bandol, there remained an elegance and charm that made this very tasty and worth while to drink. That being said, cannot wait to see where this goes in a decade plus.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pretty killer actually. Classic Mourvedre nose of game and iron, with some flowers too, and a rich, tannic palate. Perfect with grilled meats and sides.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
That kinda smells wonderful actually. With a touch of wood to the nose. Comprehensive tannins I am being told and that is a good definition. And the analogy is Barolo I am also being told. 2016 - deathless. Intense and powerful.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A tale of two cities... intense, complex, and intriguing nose. Huge puckery tannins in the mouth (not unusual for a young Bandol).
Master Sommelier Ian Caube says that young Bandol can present some of the most ferocious tannins in the wine world, along with young Barolo.
Nose: Medium intense, classic, exciting, young Bandol nose of tree bark spice, black raspberry, dark morello cherry, and a hint of cough syrup medicine. Very Mourvèdre. Fascinating, intriguing, and appealing.
Even more intense and complex the 2nd and 3rd night.
Palate: Med-full body and good concentration. But then, pow! Here come the young, gripping Mourvèdre tannins.
1st night: Big prominent tannins in the mouth. But delicious wine with appropriate cuisine (see below). 2nd night: Huge, mouth puckering, green tannins. Almost undrinkable. I put this right back on the vacuvin. 3rd night: MUCH softer and more integrated. This is a hint of what will happen with this wine with 5+ more years of age.
I love Bandol, it's such a unique red wine with unique cépage and terroir: On the Mediterranean coast of France, east of Marseille, on wind-swept slopes within view of the sea.
A young Bandol drinks best, IMHO, with grilled meats. Like thinly-sliced, grilled Chateaubriand finished with olive oil and lemon (or salsa verde). Or with open fire, grilled chicken, squab, or quail.
Optimum drinking window: 2026-2031. 88-90: now (late 2021). 90-92: 2026-2031. Will hold and develop up to 20-30 years (in cool proper cellar).
JGH CMS-III, SF Bay Area.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Floral nose….very nice nose that, for me, is hard to describe.. The nose is complex and great but hard to delineate… Beautiful garnet red color,….cork end was pale which surprised me….. Bramble red / blue/ black fruit intermixed with heavy tannin goodness Leathery taste and texture…..wowza… big rough and tumble red packed with interesting tastes and textures…I would love to have a case to try over the ensuing decade but , alas, I only have 1 more…. Hope others can provide input in the years to come… $45…. Get it and lay some away… 92 today but damn it could score higher with time…. A wine I will remember.. Damn again, nose just jumped cinnamon and allspice and juniper berry….sangria or winter spiced wine is subtlety present Will coravin rest till tomorrow….. 2 days later….more red fruit, more acidity and minerality, same tannic levels..but largely same profile as PNP….
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/25/2023 - thyrsos Likes this wine: 92 Points
Incredibly balanced - very little to complain about.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2023 - mks83 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Warm and wholesome nose consisting of cooked raspberry/blueberry, date, fresh boiled red beans, hojicha tea, camellia flower/seed/oil, iron, and a touch of animal funk or balsamic sauce. Massive amount of ripe/round/extroverted tannin - having very low center of gravity but waxy, velvety and smooth. Music analogy - Yo-Yo Ma (a crowd pleaser with rich bright sound with big showy vivrato, but not totally lacking serious depth). Dog analogy by my wife - Golden Retriever. Ripe, gentle, and hedonistic - I was expecting tighter/closed style from other people’s review but my bottle was not (at least when paired with spicy Nepali foods and served in a big Burgundy glass).
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2022 - bigredPA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Impressive Bandol. Rich, aromatic red fruits. There is some mineral/iron, but it does not overpower the fruit. Great structure to hold longer.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2022 - #Cellar mistress Likes this wine:
Wanted to try one of these but will not rate it now as it’s way too early to drink.
Deep dark colour
N: rum raisin, white spirit, vanilla, chocolate, leather, plum jam, root vegetables
P: Tannins galore (like a smack in the face), dark fruit, plum, blackberry, leather, chocolate and finnish licorice, long finish
To be put away in the back of the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2022 - Dale M wrote:
Decanted 3 hrs. While certainly the youthful structure of a young Bandol, there remained an elegance and charm that made this very tasty and worth while to drink. That being said, cannot wait to see where this goes in a decade plus.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2022 - Amerique wrote: 92 Points
Dry, dark red fruit, excellent structure, loads of tannin, rough, iron flavors
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2022 - sleepyhaus wrote:
Pretty killer actually. Classic Mourvedre nose of game and iron, with some flowers too, and a rich, tannic palate. Perfect with grilled meats and sides.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Smells pretty on the nose but also still hard on the palate. On day two.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
That kinda smells wonderful actually. With a touch of wood to the nose. Comprehensive tannins I am being told and that is a good definition. And the analogy is Barolo I am also being told. 2016 - deathless. Intense and powerful.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2021 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very young and closed. Much better on day two. 13.5%
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2021 - Jon Harrison Likes this wine: 90 Points
95% Mourvèdre, 5% Grenache.
Color: Medium dark to dark ruby.
A tale of two cities... intense, complex, and intriguing nose. Huge puckery tannins in the mouth (not unusual for a young Bandol).
Master Sommelier Ian Caube says that young Bandol can present some of the most ferocious tannins in the wine world, along with young Barolo.
Nose: Medium intense, classic, exciting, young Bandol nose of tree bark spice, black raspberry, dark morello cherry, and a hint of cough syrup medicine. Very Mourvèdre. Fascinating, intriguing, and appealing.
Even more intense and complex the 2nd and 3rd night.
Palate: Med-full body and good concentration. But then, pow! Here come the young, gripping Mourvèdre tannins.
1st night: Big prominent tannins in the mouth. But delicious wine with appropriate cuisine (see below).
2nd night: Huge, mouth puckering, green tannins. Almost undrinkable. I put this right back on the vacuvin.
3rd night: MUCH softer and more integrated. This is a hint of what will happen with this wine with 5+ more years of age.
I love Bandol, it's such a unique red wine with unique cépage and terroir: On the Mediterranean coast of France, east of Marseille, on wind-swept slopes within view of the sea.
A young Bandol drinks best, IMHO, with grilled meats. Like thinly-sliced, grilled Chateaubriand finished with olive oil and lemon (or salsa verde). Or with open fire, grilled chicken, squab, or quail.
Optimum drinking window: 2026-2031.
88-90: now (late 2021).
90-92: 2026-2031. Will hold and develop up to 20-30 years (in cool proper cellar).
JGH CMS-III, SF Bay Area.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2021 - KJD45$ Likes this wine: 92 Points
Floral nose….very nice nose that, for me, is hard to describe..
The nose is complex and great but hard to delineate…
Beautiful garnet red color,….cork end was pale which surprised me…..
Bramble red / blue/ black fruit intermixed with heavy tannin goodness
Leathery taste and texture…..wowza… big rough and tumble red packed with interesting tastes and textures…I would love to have a case to try over the ensuing decade but , alas, I only have 1 more….
Hope others can provide input in the years to come…
$45…. Get it and lay some away…
92 today but damn it could score higher with time….
A wine I will remember..
Damn again, nose just jumped cinnamon and allspice and juniper berry….sangria or winter spiced wine is subtlety present
Will coravin rest till tomorrow…..
2 days later….more red fruit, more acidity and minerality, same tannic levels..but largely same profile as PNP….
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment