Hazy notes. Very dark in colour, with a mix of red and black fruits on the nice nose. Exuberant fruit on the full bodied palate, and with time came the rustic, gamy, leathery, funky, spicy flavours of classic Bandol; tannins are there, but largely hidden under all that fruit. Drinking well with some air, but it should last many years yet. Quite the powerhouse that probably is best with a huge steak (A-).
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Decanted and poured out about 50ml of chunky looking sediment. Poured a glass from the decanter straight away which looked funky and a bit weird so I left it. After an hour I poured the wine back into the bottle. Over another hour the wine blossomed into something a bit more coherent. Smells of camphor, black coffee, leather, and boot polish. Very leathery but not at all bretty to me, more like new leather, like a new couch or new car smell. Some classic blue-fruited Mourvedre notes to me as well, but predominantly the nose is a bit secondary and spicy, a bit peppery and chocolatey too. The palate feels textural and spicy too, but the tannins don't make themselves felt until you're a glass or two into it. But they're soft and lend a nice delicate bitterness to the finish. My overall impression, despite having little experience with aged Bandol, is that this was maybe not as mature and resolved as I expected given the age. Nonetheless delicious and I don't have any problem opening it now while there's still some primary fruit. Perhaps food would elevate it.
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Just loaded with black pepper on the nose. You know there is fruit lurking but the pepper and some animal take over. Big tannins, robust with lush fruit and Provençal herbs there on the palate, and the finish is satisfying. What a match with grilled loin lamb chops marinated with garlic and rosemary.
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Diane's - What a surprise following the recent 2000. This was pop n pour and I was expecting a few minutes of pleasure followed by a quick and savage shutdown. Yet it remained open and inviting throughout - almost charming if Bandol can ever be so.
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11/18/2021 - JohnSh wrote: 91 Points
Hazy notes. Very dark in colour, with a mix of red and black fruits on the nice nose. Exuberant fruit on the full bodied palate, and with time came the rustic, gamy, leathery, funky, spicy flavours of classic Bandol; tannins are there, but largely hidden under all that fruit. Drinking well with some air, but it should last many years yet. Quite the powerhouse that probably is best with a huge steak (A-).
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7/7/2017 - Milliontown wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and poured out about 50ml of chunky looking sediment. Poured a glass from the decanter straight away which looked funky and a bit weird so I left it. After an hour I poured the wine back into the bottle. Over another hour the wine blossomed into something a bit more coherent.
Smells of camphor, black coffee, leather, and boot polish. Very leathery but not at all bretty to me, more like new leather, like a new couch or new car smell. Some classic blue-fruited Mourvedre notes to me as well, but predominantly the nose is a bit secondary and spicy, a bit peppery and chocolatey too. The palate feels textural and spicy too, but the tannins don't make themselves felt until you're a glass or two into it. But they're soft and lend a nice delicate bitterness to the finish.
My overall impression, despite having little experience with aged Bandol, is that this was maybe not as mature and resolved as I expected given the age. Nonetheless delicious and I don't have any problem opening it now while there's still some primary fruit. Perhaps food would elevate it.
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6/28/2014 - Konsta wrote: 90 Points
Lots of pepper, some sweetness, herbs, peculiar. Felt like it was the right time to consume this bottle.
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10/28/2013 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Just loaded with black pepper on the nose. You know there is fruit lurking but the pepper and some animal take over. Big tannins, robust with lush fruit and Provençal herbs there on the palate, and the finish is satisfying. What a match with grilled loin lamb chops marinated with garlic and rosemary.
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10/27/2013 - VDLT Wine Likes this wine:
Diane's - What a surprise following the recent 2000. This was pop n pour and I was expecting a few minutes of pleasure followed by a quick and savage shutdown. Yet it remained open and inviting throughout - almost charming if Bandol can ever be so.
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