Domaine de la Tour Bon
Situated on a hillside inland from the village of Le Castellet, Domaine de la Tour Bon sits at altitude in the north-eastern corner of the appellation, looking back towards Bandol and the Mediterranean sea. The 14ha of estate vineyards are presided over by Agnès Henry, whose parents purchased the estate in 1968. They are organic certified and increasingly working with biodynamic treatments. The domaine sits atop a limestone ridge and is quietly producing some of the appellation’s top wines, deftly managing structure and freshness in this sun-soaked part of the world.
The Region
The Bandol AOC of Provence sits between mountains to the north and the Mediterranean sea to the south, a tranquil vineyard amphitheatre of arid earth, over clay and limestone. The star of the show is late ripening Mouvedre. Here, unusually in France, the varietal can be counted on to ripen year on year. The Mistral wind provides a little relief, as can the maritime breeze from the Med.
The Wines
- Bandol Rose 19/20 – R 637
Mourvèdre 36%; Grenache 25%; Cinsault 32%; Clairette 7%
Never afraid to try new things, Agnès has blended the 2019 and 2020 vintages together with this release. It’s a terrific example of Bandol rosé, layered and playing between bright red fruit, florals, grapefruit & lemon zest, all framed by a supple spice. Gastronomic stuff.
- Bandol Blanc 2020 – R 694
Clairette Blanche 85% with Vermentino & Ugni Blanc on vineyards of circa 40 years age.
Elusive stone fruit, white florals, dried herbs, citrus and rocky mineral-scents. The qualities here are all about texture - concentrated, yet tense and very mineral. Youthful and taut now but expect ‘wax and honey’ characters to develop with age. Class.
- Bandol Rouge 2019 – R 958
55% Mouvedre, 25% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 5% Carignan.
Trademark dark Bandol, but the decision to include less Mouvedre than the norm (traditionally around 75%) is a master stroke. The location of the estate is among the warmest of the appellation, and the additional Grenache has added elegance and a silky red cherry fruit. Bright, dry and crunchy black and red fruit, real verve and a high note of black pepper. Smart winemaking, this will be exciting to revisit periodically. The famous Domaine Tempier also have own several hectares up here, in producing one of their specialty single vineyard reds, La Tourtine.
- En Sol IGP Mediterranean Mouvedre 2019 – R 1,522
An atypical wine from Bandol produced since 2013. Agnès was inspired by an Italian producing friend who works with amphora in their white wines. They picked out a selection of their best parcels of Mouvedre from Saint-Ferreol and l’Ensoleillade, with the grapes fully destemmed and matured in amphora for 6 months, before additional maturation and assembly in tank. As the wine is not aged in wood it loses the Bandol AOC for an IGP Mediterranean designation. The use of amphora preserves the fruitiness of Mouvedre, mellows the tannins and lifts the perception of acidity. Loads of detail here with dry, crushed purple and blackberry fruit and a satisfying, fine liquorice spice at length on the finish. So flavourful, a wicked expression of the varietal.