Tour du Bon Bandol 2005   

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RVF Meilleurs Vins de France 2009: “One of the essential Domaines of Bandol”, One Star

About

This gorgeous wine balances the wild, strong structure of Bandol Mourvedre with a silky, luscious, cool, fruity style, that is both very natural and expressive of the terroir.

Tasting notes

This has intense aromas of grilled meats, dried herbs, tea, red cherry, red berry, white pepper and soy sauce.  Subtle, elegant and refreshing, it has power but is not heavy and has a very long finish.

Vintage Notes

A balanced good year, described as yin and yang by Agnes Henry.  There was quite a lot of rainfall which replenished the soil and there were particularly cool nights in August which gave the wine a lot of freshness.

Grapes

55% Mourvèdre, 35% Grenache, 10% Cinsault

Vine age

An average of 30 years old; the oldest vines being 50 years old

Vineyards

From all parts of the estate’s 11 hectares on gentle slopes at 150m altitude on clay limestone soils enjoying a beneficial, healthy Mediterranean climate.  The vines are cultivated organically.

Yield

28 hl/ha

Harvest

Hand harvested mid September

Winemaking

Destemmed, the varieties are co-fermented together according to the progress of the harvest using wild yeasts in concrete tank with temperatures rising to around 30ºC.  Minimal extraction by a short twice daily pumping over; there’s a total maceration of between 2 and 3 weeks, according to tasting.

Maturation

18 months in new and old foudre

Bottling

Unfiltered and unfined; May 2007; 30,000 bottles (2,500 cases)