beautiful needed a good hour before it showed its best a classy wine that did not need to cry for attention good grip and acidity point to some more years of life
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Magnum. Medium ruby throughout. Nasty mix of brett, sharp white pepper, and camphor on the nose-not very promising. Strangely enough, this funk did not show up on the palate, although I braced myself with each sip. In contrast, medium to full bodied with quite robust dark fruit that seemed very fresh for 21 year old Bandol. Just a tad of mustiness on the finish. Sort of a crazy quilt of a wine with funny juxtapositions of aromas and flavors. In the end, more interesting than enjoyable, although it actually was enlivened by a lamb dish with Provencale spicing.
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Flavors not fully mature, but soft and smooth on the palate. Difficult to tell if this wine is still on the upswing or has reached its peak. Cellared since release.
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opened 10 hours before and slow audouzed then decanted before taking to dinner. Colour still red with only hint of maturity. Elegant nose damsons wafts of garrigue and leather. Powerful and full on palate plenty of earth and warmth but supported by freshness. Tannins there but not obtrusive. Superb wine ready now but years ahead.
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The bouquet doesn't show much. On the palate the wine is not completely fresh. Not corked. There is still some red fruit and drying tannin, like in Barolo wines. I guess that if the wine would have been fresh, it would have been great with still some ageing potential. No score.
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Leslie’s: Heavenly dusty garrigue notes w/ reduced brown sugar and hoisan korean BBQ suace; but elegant, not a bruiser at this point (although still ample soft ts’); I don’t mind. Grt stuff, amazing individuality. Maybe 93. David says needs 4-5 more yrs to drop some t’s.
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As usual, the most provencal of the different cuvees. Decanted for 5h and it was still very tight. Still dark, Provencal herbs with dark cherry nose. Med body, balanced with smooth tannins, earthy with again that dark cherry profile. Very nice, tremendous structure. To revisit in 5 years.
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this bottle remained very closed (not sure it is was corked); the nose never opened, a pity as previous bottles were delicious; full bodied. perhaps should be decanted longer? not rated
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beautiful mature color, brick, gorgeous Provence expression in the nose, thyme leather, lots of fruit still there, tastes like "sweet velvet", although enough tannins remain to keep his wine alive for many years; very enjoyable now; difficult to say if this wine needs more time; I think it is ready to be enjoyed right now but it will last for a long time. an excellent example of the finest Bandol in what is reported to be a mediocre vintage. should be decanted for about two hours in advance
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Outstandingly complex nose with a very attractive earthiness developing in the glass. This still has a ton of ripe fruit and lot of tannins remaining on the palate, giving it a rustic feel at this point. The finish is very long and curranty. Although it's showing its quality now, the potential of this wine to be even more special would lead me to cellar for some time yet, as the other notes suggest. A wonderful bottle.
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Magnum. Decanted at about 5:30 pm. Initially, a couple people thought it was corked, as it had a faint mustiness. Certainly, there was some discussion / debate over that issue (I was in the "not corked" camp from the beginning, as (FWIW) was Kermit Lynch's sales manager, Matt Cain, with whom I was drinking this). On smelling the cork (I know, not always a true indicator), it was quite clean of any TCA aromas... With a lot of swirling in the glass it seemed to blow off... so we decided to give it some time in the decanter... Finally served 2.5-3 hours later... No more corked-like aromas... Deep, iron / blood notes with light game, licorice and ried red fruits. Serious stuff. Enjoyable, though still very young, I won't open another for 5 years at the earliest - maybe even more like 10...
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Double decanted 3 hours ahead. Dark reddish violet. Evocative nose of black fruits, pepper, Asian spices, leather, earth, tar but not as dense as the '95. Still with nice structure and plenty of fruit with an inbalance finish, nice acidity and complex long lasting flavors. Really nice.
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An altogether bigger, meatier, rounder wine than the Chinon (and a bigger bottle too; this was out of a magnum). Beautiful dark fruits and spice with just a remaining hint of Mourvedre mustiness. Tempier wines can be unbelievably nasty and funky when young, but when the raw material is there, it is remarkable how they can transform into a swan with 10 or more years on them. This wine had much less secondary development than the '88 Chinon, and I would predict at least a decade of life ahead of it, at least in this larger format. A great showing and a terrific accompaniment to guinea hen with a black truffle/foie gras sauce.
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3/4/2023 - cfk49 wrote: 96 Points
Pure, dark Mourvèdre fruit with perfect balance in a medium-weight body and incredible youthfulness. Cellared since original release.
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3/30/2016 - Levantine wrote:
beautiful
needed a good hour before it showed its best
a classy wine that did not need to cry for attention
good grip and acidity point to some more years of life
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11/15/2014 - drwine2001 wrote:
Magnum. Medium ruby throughout. Nasty mix of brett, sharp white pepper, and camphor on the nose-not very promising. Strangely enough, this funk did not show up on the palate, although I braced myself with each sip. In contrast, medium to full bodied with quite robust dark fruit that seemed very fresh for 21 year old Bandol. Just a tad of mustiness on the finish. Sort of a crazy quilt of a wine with funny juxtapositions of aromas and flavors. In the end, more interesting than enjoyable, although it actually was enlivened by a lamb dish with Provencale spicing.
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2/26/2014 - cfk49 wrote: 92 Points
Flavors not fully mature, but soft and smooth on the palate. Difficult to tell if this wine is still on the upswing or has reached its peak. Cellared since release.
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3/29/2013 - redders Likes this wine: 92 Points
opened 10 hours before and slow audouzed then decanted before taking to dinner. Colour still red with only hint of maturity. Elegant nose damsons wafts of garrigue and leather. Powerful and full on palate plenty of earth and warmth but supported by freshness. Tannins there but not obtrusive. Superb wine ready now but years ahead.
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10/18/2011 - Zweder wrote:
The bouquet doesn't show much. On the palate the wine is not completely fresh. Not corked. There is still some red fruit and drying tannin, like in Barolo wines. I guess that if the wine would have been fresh, it would have been great with still some ageing potential. No score.
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5/29/2011 - jkoenen wrote: flawed
Tempier Tasting @ Joost B. (Netherlands): Very tight, very dark, very closed. Subdued aromatics. Decaying leaves? Mossy rocks? Flawed.
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10/25/2009 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Leslie’s: Heavenly dusty garrigue notes w/ reduced brown sugar and hoisan korean BBQ suace; but elegant, not a bruiser at this point (although still ample soft ts’); I don’t mind. Grt stuff, amazing individuality. Maybe 93. David says needs 4-5 more yrs to drop some t’s.
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4/20/2009 - french16 wrote: 92 Points
As usual, the most provencal of the different cuvees. Decanted for 5h and it was still very tight. Still dark, Provencal herbs with dark cherry nose. Med body, balanced with smooth tannins, earthy with again that dark cherry profile.
Very nice, tremendous structure.
To revisit in 5 years.
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1/11/2009 - costamalfitana wrote:
this bottle remained very closed (not sure it is was corked); the nose never opened, a pity as previous bottles were delicious; full bodied. perhaps should be decanted longer? not rated
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3/8/2008 - costamalfitana wrote: 92 Points
beautiful mature color, brick, gorgeous Provence expression in the nose, thyme leather, lots of fruit still there, tastes like "sweet velvet", although enough tannins remain to keep his wine alive for many years; very enjoyable now; difficult to say if this wine needs more time; I think it is ready to be enjoyed right now but it will last for a long time. an excellent example of the finest Bandol in what is reported to be a mediocre vintage. should be decanted for about two hours in advance
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2/16/2008 - jlm wrote:
Outstandingly complex nose with a very attractive earthiness developing in the glass. This still has a ton of ripe fruit and lot of tannins remaining on the palate, giving it a rustic feel at this point. The finish is very long and curranty. Although it's showing its quality now, the potential of this wine to be even more special would lead me to cellar for some time yet, as the other notes suggest. A wonderful bottle.
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11/30/2007 - Ben Andersen wrote:
Magnum. Decanted at about 5:30 pm. Initially, a couple people thought it was corked, as it had a faint mustiness. Certainly, there was some discussion / debate over that issue (I was in the "not corked" camp from the beginning, as (FWIW) was Kermit Lynch's sales manager, Matt Cain, with whom I was drinking this). On smelling the cork (I know, not always a true indicator), it was quite clean of any TCA aromas... With a lot of swirling in the glass it seemed to blow off... so we decided to give it some time in the decanter... Finally served 2.5-3 hours later... No more corked-like aromas... Deep, iron / blood notes with light game, licorice and ried red fruits. Serious stuff. Enjoyable, though still very young, I won't open another for 5 years at the earliest - maybe even more like 10...
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11/10/2006 - thomaskeil wrote: 92 Points
Double decanted 3 hours ahead. Dark reddish violet. Evocative nose of black fruits, pepper, Asian spices, leather, earth, tar but not as dense as the '95. Still with nice structure and plenty of fruit with an inbalance finish, nice acidity and complex long lasting flavors. Really nice.
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5/1/2006 - drwine2001 wrote:
An altogether bigger, meatier, rounder wine than the Chinon (and a bigger bottle too; this was out of a magnum). Beautiful dark fruits and spice with just a remaining hint of Mourvedre mustiness. Tempier wines can be unbelievably nasty and funky when young, but when the raw material is there, it is remarkable how they can transform into a swan with 10 or more years on them. This wine had much less secondary development than the '88 Chinon, and I would predict at least a decade of life ahead of it, at least in this larger format. A great showing and a terrific accompaniment to guinea hen with a black truffle/foie gras sauce.
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11/13/2005 - Vini Ciclismo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gruner and Mourvedre lunch with David Burkit (Bathers Pavillion): lovely sweet fruit, game and herbs
power, intensity, spice, earth, balanced
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