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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2019 and 2026 (based on 9 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 88.3 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 33 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Karl Rossmann on 1/6/2024 & rated 86 points: Full bodied wine with dark fruit, licorice, pencil lead in the long finish. Tannins have softened over the years. Yet still a bit wild considering slightly harsch alcohol and actually a tiny, tiny bubbly mouthfeel. (175 views) | | | Tasted by Hampe on 10/7/2022 & rated 89 points: Mörkt röd med begynnande tegeltoner i kanten. Fruktig och något utvecklad doft. Luktar sydfranskt. Mörka blå och röda bär, peppar, örter från franska köket, kanel, lagerblad. Balanserad syra, skapligt balanserade tanniner, medelfylligt. Finishen är medellång och väl bitter, svart te-liknande, i övrigt lik smakmässigt doften om än doften utlovar mer än vad smaken levererar. Något stickig alkohol. Inte riktigt min stil, i vart fall inte utan tyngre mat. (805 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 1/18/2020 & rated 89 points: Made from biodynamically farmed grapes; mainly Mourvèdre along with a little bit of Grenache and a dash of Cinsaut. Fermented with natural yeasts over three weeks with skin maceration. Aged in 600-liter oak barrels and larger oak foudres for 18-24 months. 14,5% alcohol.
Slightly translucent black cherry color. The nose feels ripe but surprisingly closed with reticent aromas of dusty earth, some sweet dark berries, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light sweet notes of blueberries and a hint of licorice. The wine is juicy, full-bodied and quite sinewy on the palate with rather concentrated and chewy overall feel and ripe yet not sweet flavors of blackberries, some fresh dark plums, a little bit of extracted, spicy and somewhat peppery bitterness, light stony mineral tones, a hint of gamey meat and a touch of licorice. The wine is high in acidity with firm, moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is dry, moderately grippy and quite tough with long flavors of fresh blackberries, some stony minerality, a little bit of savory game, light peppery tones, a hint of chokeberry bitterness and a sweeter touch of blueberry.
A nice, serious and somewhat understated Bandol that feels quite tough, yet retains nice silky quality due to its juicy, ripe fruit. Pure and fresh in style, but aromatically rather subdued, especially when compared to my previous taste 3½ years ago. Perhaps in a slump right now? At least the wine really doesn't show much developed characteristics at the moment, which gives promise for future development. Although lacking the charm of the previous taste, the wine is still very good and I have no doubts this will improve from here if given enough age. It's not unlikely I just caught the wine in a less optimal spot. Priced according to its quality at 17,64€. (2413 views) | | | Tasted by isaacjamesbaker on 8/19/2018 & rated 90 points: Mourvedre & More: So smoky and beefy on the nose (definitely some brett, but it’s not overwhelming), with black cherries, roasted red peppers. Super grippy on the palate, this was by far the heaviest wine of the night (as expected), and really needs more time. Medium acidity keeps it lively. Lots of smoky, roasted herbs, earth, violets, charcoal. Massive, young but yummy. (2820 views) | | | Tasted by Hoogey on 2/10/2018 & rated 87 points: Mature now. Wouldn’t save it. But kept in room temperature. Rich, dried cherries and vanilla with a slight hint of rubber. Almost South African taste to it. (2985 views) | | | Tasted by Motz on 1/20/2018 & rated 90 points: Tasted over two days. Savory and meaty on the first day, with precious stone definition and tension. Slightly angular alcohol. Overall, the wine imparted the impression of needing time. It had closed down by the second day, another indication of its youthfulness. Three to five years should allow it to integrate and improve. Very good QPR. 90-91. (3093 views) | | | Tasted by TobiasKarlsson on 12/16/2017 & rated 88 points: Bra Bandolvin som dock fortfarande är för ungt. Körsbär viol svartvinbär och en del fat. Bra syra och tydliga tanniner. Blir idag inte märkbart bättre med ett par timmars luftning, utan fatkaraktären blir för tydlig. (2401 views) | | | Tasted by Bossed on 8/13/2017 flawed bottle: Flawed. Tasted too old. (2065 views) | | | Tasted by diggydan on 7/15/2017 & rated 88 points: Seemed fairly generic warmish wine. $50ish at Petit Louis. (1333 views) | | | Tasted by srh on 5/20/2017: Winebar [4 Whites & 8 Reds] from 5/19/17 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this bottling.
N: Ripe, blk frts, spice, with undertones of pyrazines? Intensity lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; Decent frt met by an astringent pucker which slowly morphs into a lingering finish. P is *very* tight, so tough for me to evaluate. However, potentially special given the $23.95 tasted price? 88 pts Decanter (Panel), + 2 scores & 1 medal on wine-searcher's Tasting Notes pg. [As of early Apr '20, wine-searcher still shows 1 source @ $35]. (780 views) | | | Tasted by czar33 on 4/16/2017 & rated 88 points: Superbe. (1305 views) | | | Tasted by Finare Vinare on 2/7/2017 & rated 89 points: Deep purple. Developing, attractive, slightly feral nose with just a hint of reduction and brett. Black-fruited aromas with notes of cassis, raspberries, bark, brown spice, earth, and garrique. Dry-tasting (no perceived alcohol sweetness here) with pretty much medium+ everything, but the grippy tannins are fine rather than demanding. The overall impression is about freshness, transparency and drinkability - not too extracted, nor the least heavy at 14,5% abv. La Bastide Blanche usually cellars really well, and this version shouldn't be an exception to the rule. Good idea to stash away a few bottles. (2067 views) | | | Tasted by FrankBlack on 9/10/2016 & rated 89 points: This one needs aging. It quite closed at the moment. Intering things can happen in a few years. (1690 views) | | | Tasted by LWI on 8/29/2016 & rated 89 points: Blind. Very dark, some bitterness, not much tannin, some bonfire smoke, seems like quite a bit alcohol -- warmish finish. (1333 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 8/13/2016 & rated 91 points: Made from biodynamically farmed grapes; mainly Mourvèdre along with a little bit of Grenache and a dash of Cinsaut. Fermented with natural yeasts over three weeks with skin maceration. Aged in 600-liter oak barrels and larger oak casks for 18-24 months. 14,5% alcohol.
Almost fully opaque, blackish red color with a little bit of youthful purple. Quite big, juicy and fruit-driven nose with aromas of succulent plums, ripe blackberries, sweet boysenberries, some beef jerky tones, a little bit of fresh red cherry, light licorice root tones and a hint of sun-baked garrigue. The wine is pure, dark-toned and juicy on the palate with flavors of fresh, acid-driven dark berries, ripe plums, sweet black cherries, some meaty umami, a little bit of bitter exotic spices, light earthy tones and a hint of licorice root. The overall feel is bright and balanced, thanks to the enjoyably high acidity. The tannins feel very ripe, gentle and powdery at first, but they slowly pile up on the gums, making the wine feel relatively grippy after a while. The finish is fresh, gently grippy and somewhat warm with nuanced flavors of fresh blackberries, juicy plummy tones, some sweet black cherries, a little bit of leather, light notes of licorice and earth and a hint of wild strawberry.
A very nice, balanced and beautifully pure Bandol that is certainly ripe (and high in alcohol) like so many Bandols are, but the wine is also wonderfully fresh and more about bright berry-driven fruit than about rich, ripe and dark-toned fruits more typical of these Southerners. Although very young for a Bandol, this certainly isn't particularly muscular or tightly-knit in style. The tannins certainly are there, but this wine is obviously made to be accessible in its youth, not like an old-school Bandol that requires tons of age to soften the tough nature. A lovely Provençal effort that went great with lasagne. Priced according to its quality at 17,64€. (556 views) | | | Tasted by khunchris on 10/12/2015 & rated 87 points: Good with spicy food - refreshing - quaffer (1706 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| La Bastide Blanche Producer website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)
In the early '70s Michel and Louis Bronzo (the latter on the board of the INAO) acquired the property of the Bastide Blanche, with an eye to producing from appellation Bandol wines the equal of more famous appellations like Chateauneuf. Their painstaking efforts were rewarded in 1993 when vintage conditions created the benchmark year to put Bandol in general and Bastide-Blanche, in particular, on the map of top producers in France. They have various cuvees, depending on the vintage, but always about 75% Mourvedre as a minimum, up to 100% Mourvedre for the Cuvee Fontanieu from a parcel of that name near the Mediterranean. Also, common each year to their success are their very low yields, never more than 34 or 35 hl/ha, and simply impeccable cellar conditions and attention. This shows in the pure, well-delineated fruit, that has become a hallmark of Bastide-Blanche. They also make a delightful Rose, from predominantly Mourvedre, with Grenache and Cinsault.La Bastide Blanche BandolTypically, "72% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, 6% Cinsualt, 1% Syrah, & 1% Carignan from ≈30 yr old vines grown in clay-limestone soil with cailloux." [Info from U.S. Importer's pg]
Producer WebsiteMourvèdre Blend - Read about MourvedreFrance Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comProvence Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de ProvenceBandol Bandol (Wikipedia) | Bandol (French language touristry site) |
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