BANDOL
Tasting features 2003
 


Bandol Fête du Millésime 2003
Click on the B for Bandol (or the link on the right hand column) to see my tasting notes from this lively event, which offer a first glimpse of wines from last year's sun-drenched vintage plus a few older ones as well. Held on the 7th December 2003 along the port, it was a kind of more hedonistic version of en primeur tastings with the emphasis on a fun day out rather than a serious trade affair. The red wines had either just gone into barrel or were about to; the overall vibe is that the vintage is looking very promising at this stage for all three colours, even the whites (sometimes a bit ordinary yet priced at a similar high level). By the way, the following were voted Longues Gardes 2003 (showing the best ageing potential): Ch. Salettes, Dom. La Suffrene and Ch. de Pibarnon. Unfortunately, I didn't taste the first two but go along with the latter choice.
More Bandol wines and feature.

Bandol day trip
"Le rond-point des Mourvèdres. Magnificent, a roundabout dedicated to Mourvèdre: must be a good omen..." See articles for the full feature.
To browse my tasting notes scribbled during this visit in April 2003 - featuring the Mourvèdre rich wines of Château Pibarnon, Domaines Bunan/Château la Rouvière and Domaine Tempier - the big B reveals all. And while you're at it, read my article on wines from the south of France and the Rhône published in the July/August 2003 edition of harpers on-trade magazine.