December 16, 2023 - Il a fort bien vieilli, et se présente à son apogée sans doute pour qui apprécie la fraîcheur et l’évolution.
Nez assez discret, où apparaît peu à peu la mûre et le cuir, les épices, le sous-bois. Pas exubérant ni fané donc, il s’avère rond à l’attaque, et immédiatement plus serré, offrant une finale très fraîche, minérale, salivante. Une texture de vieux vin sur le terroir, le sol, ou le cépage montre sa rigueur et sa droiture.
July 11, 2023 - PnP. ABV 14%. €65 before taxes and shipping charges. My first experience with this producer. Good nose, floral and clean. Tannins partially resolved, a little spicy on the palate and also showing some warmth at backend. Full bodied, very good density and complexity, a big wine with ripe fruits. Mouth watering acidity level to keep this lively. My hunch is that alcohol level most likely higher than 14% stated on the label. Keep 1/2 bottle for the 2nd day, showing some heat at backend, so you better like high alcohol wine.
November 27, 2022 - Beautifully matured on the nose with rich brambly fruit, blood, bouillon and balsamico. Slightly volatile, but only in a positive way. On the palate full-bodied with big fruit and big tannins. Developed to a degree but still feels like there are years to go before maturity. A masculine wine for sure without any kind of jamminess. A very good wine with plenty of upside.
November 26, 2022 - A blend of Mourvèdre (90%) and Grenache (10%). Fermented spontaneously while macerating on the skins for three weeks. Aged in oak casks for 20 months. 14% alcohol.
Dense and quite opaque blackish-red color with an evolved maroon hue. The nose feels dense, evolved and very complex with layered aromas of wizened dark fruits and dried figs, sweet red cherries, some leathery funk, a little bit of balsamic VA, light lifted minty notes, a hint of cigar box and a touch of meat consommé or red wine reduction sauce. The overall feel is very attractive and, despite all the evolved savory tones, suggestive of sweetness. The wine is dense, very firm and chewy on the palate with a full body and savory, moderately evolved flavors of meaty umami and wizened cherries, some balsamic tones, a little bit of game, light cigar box notes, autumnal hints of sous-bois and earthy garrigue and a sweeter touch of dried figs. Structurally quite stern and muscular, thanks to both the high acidity and still quite assertive and relatively unresolved tannins. The finish is dry, rather tannic and somewhat evolved with a complex, harmonious aftertaste of game and meaty umami, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of meat consommé, light sweeter notes of wizened figs and ripe black cherries, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of cigar box.
A big, bold and quite powerful Bandol that is starting to show some age, yet still manages to retain lots of vibrant fruit character and tons of structure. This ain't young, but it is still quite far off its plateau of maturity, too. Immensely enjoyable now, but I wouldn't be surprised if the wine continued to age, evolve and improve for many, many years more. Beautiful stuff, highly recommended. Delivers for the price at 72€.
July 9, 2022 - Slightly disappointing.
While it still provided a good dinner wine, it clearly lacked focus and tension.
The aromas were not well defined, acidity was lacking and it seemed faded.
I expected more...
August 18, 2020 - Hazy note from a few days ago. This was slightly browning, but still fairly youthful looking. Lots of gamy notes and plums on the nose, and with an explosion of more gamy goodness on the medium to full bodied palate. Tannins are present but very ripe and well in the background, and there was a nice velvety texture to the wine. Both a sauvage and elegant wine, ready now, probably at peak, but will likely have a long plateau (A-).
February 4, 2019 - Austère et poussiéreux, bof. Bouteille décevante
January 4, 2019 - Mostly mourvedre aged for 18 months in oak foudre. Color does not show a 18 years old wine. Nose initially with earthy notes. With time dark fruits develop. Mouth is smooth. Tannins are smooth. Palate comes with a mix of leather, red and dark berries. It wont improve. But its in a perfect place now
July 20, 2018 - CdV
Comparé au 2004, ce 2001 se montre moins élégant et plus monolithique, plus ferme, et moins raffiné. Plutot puissant, encore jeune, il semble avoir du potentiel d'évolution, afin qu'il gagne en complexité. Il est sur le cuir et manque de fruit, de complexité. Sa teinte opaque et peu évoluée semble confirmer qu'on tient là un beau millésime de garde, mais comme souvent, s'ouvrira-t-il un jour ?
91/92 ?
May 20, 2017 - (Decanter Masterclass) Crimson in appearance; clear with no sign of ageing. A perfumed and lifted nose, showing dried petals, blueberry, horse hide and spice box. Lovely complexity. Palate is very concentrated, big in the mouth and with some perceptible tannin. Persistent finish. Very good.