Bandol rouge 2020 Chateau de Pibarnon

The Bandol Rouge 2020 from Château de Pibarnon is one of Provence's great red wines and one of the most convincing ambassadors for Mourvèdre anywhere. Rated 93/100 by Robert Parker, crafted with real aesthetic sense, this red of silky concentration finds its balance between plush amplitude and a highly refined expression of fruit. Already very digestible as Bandol goes, sweet spices carry through to a fine and elegant finish. Four stars from Bettane & Desseauve, described as a 'producer of very high quality, the glory of French viticulture'.

The terroir and vines

It is Pibarnon's unique terroir, set in a natural amphitheatre of limestone, that gives the domaine's wines their style so beloved by purists. Steep hillsides climbing to 300 metres altitude give the wines significant acidity. The play of different exposures is an extraordinary advantage. The terroir, among Bandol's finest, is composed largely of Triassic limestone combined with blue marls such as those found at Château d'Yquem. The wines are precise and of great finesse, less opulent and more reserved, perfect mirrors of their terroir. The blend is 90 per cent Mourvèdre and 10 per cent Grenache, aged 20 months in oak foudres. The domaine has been certified organic since the 2019 vintage, practising viticulture where soils are preserved and alive, through cultivation methods and biodynamics.

Tasting profile

In the glass, this wine first shows notes of fresh red and dark fruit, cherry, blackberry, and liquorice. Deeper nuances unfold with musk and pepper. Notes of wild berries and sweet spices emerge. Aromas of blackcurrant, spice, cinnamon, liquorice and garrigue compose a palette of remarkable depth and complexity. The still somewhat closed palate will open with time. Fine tannins support a round and powerful structure perfectly. The perfumes are elegant and grow more complex as the wine develops. From dark fruit, it will develop floral notes before offering the aromatic richness – truffle, tobacco, garrigue – characteristic of great aged Bandol Mourvèdre. Its peak is estimated between 2030 and 2040, with cellaring potential to 2045.

The domaine

Henri de Saint-Victor founded Château de Pibarnon in 1978, establishing it within decades among Bandol's emblematic properties. His son Éric has run the domaine since 2000, continually refining the expression of wines from the Triassic limestone terroirs of La Cadière-d'Azur. Despite their approachability and ease in youth, these are serious wines built for the cellar.

Food pairing

This Bandol Rouge pairs beautifully with roasted squab in potato crust, lamb chops grilled with aubergines and courgettes with almonds, or roasted wild duck with mushroom jus. It harmonises equally well with jugged hare, slow-cooked Provençal daube, rack of lamb with garrigue herbs, or aged cheese such as Banon or mature Pélardon. One hour of decanting is essential. Served between 16 and 18°C, it will gradually reveal the depth, nobility and breeding of one of Provence's greatest reds.