Bandol

This wine has at least 75% Mourvedre.  In this vintage it is  83% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache and 7% Other varietals.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is earthy and dusty with cherries and slight black cherries.  Medium to full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, some cherries and a slight root beer note.  Good finish.  This drinks well on its own but would be better with food.  This would go well with Roasted Eggplant Parmesan.  Drink over the next ten years.  

This is 80% Mourvedre with the rest made up of Syrah and grenache.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has plums, some black cherries, spices, and anise.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, t plums with spices and some black cherries.  This is drinking quite nicely on its own but would be better with food.  This would work well with beef stew.  Drink over the next ten years.  

This is a blend of 55% Mourvedre, 35% Cinsault, and 10% Grenache from Southeastern France.  Pale salmon pink in color with some orange hues, clear and bright.  The nose has strawberries and slight grapefruits.  Medium bodied.  Slightly viscous.  On the palate, this is dry.  Flavors of strawberries and pink grapefruits.  Refreshing.  Good finish.  This is refreshing and drinking well now on its own.  It would also work well with salty or fried appetizers.  Drink now.  

Great showing for this wine.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has some funk/brett.  Also, black cherries and slight plums.  Full bodied.  The palate has minerals, plums, and black cherries.  Layered and complex.  This at the young side of peak but it is mature.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is great on its own and will work well with food.  Roasted duck is a nice choice.  drink over the next eight to twelve years.  

This may be the most iconic Rosé made.  It is arguably the best as well.  While the price has risen over the last decade or so, there is no question that it delivers on quality.  Pale salmon/copper in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with strawberries, minerals and a slight salinity.  Very nice texture.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, strawberries with a mineral base.  This is not a big wine, but its not delicate either.  The finish goes on for a long time.  Some people advocate letting these age and while this will no doubt last for another five to seven years, the freshness in

A blend of 50% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, 26% Cinsault, and 4% Syrah.  This was part of a tasting that taught me that, more than most Bandol's, Tempier's will need plenty of cellar time to peak.  This was tasty now, but just felt like it was holding back.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose is tight.  With air, some black cherries come out.  Eventually a bit of spice as well.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Very deep but tightly wound.  Black cherry fruit.  Plenty of tannins.  Long finish.  If drinking now give it a few hours in a decanter.  Otherwise cellar for ten more years.  This

Purple/ruby in color, slightly flat.  The nose seemed a bit off, perhaps storage.  It had a bit of aquarium going on.  Yet, there is also some black cherries and a bit of minerality.  On the palate, this is much better.  A pretty backbone of acidity.  Nice fresh cherry fruit.  Slight tannins.  Some complexity.  Long finish.  This is drinking about where one would expect at age 9.  It won't get better but should be at peak for the next five to seven years.  This will work with most meat or fowl based dishes or roasted veggies too.

Another new winery for me (which is always fun).  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, a charred earthiness and black olives.  On the palate this has light tannins, black cherry fruit with a nice back bone of acidity.  This is young but drinks well on its own.  It should gain some complexity.  Hold for a three years and drink over the next five to seven.  It will go well with stews and fowl.