From: Bandol, France
Blend: 75% Mourvèdre, 14% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 2% Carignan
Taste: There is something about the dark, inky Mourvèdre, plus the salty sea air caressing the vines every night, that typifies classic Bandol. In the glass, dark fruit and spice take the lead in a supple, ‘fits you like a glove’ leather jacket hug. Fruity but earthy, elegant but robust; this wine is balanced and brawny with all the finesse of dusty, slate-y, fine mineral tannins. Obviously this wine will continue to improve with age, but even now, this wine is complete, impressive, and ready to serve cooled down a touch.
Pairing: While Bandol rouge pairs so well with roasted red meats like leg of lamb, hearty stews like a cassoulet, and smoked meat and duck in their myriad forms, youthful Bandol rouge (like this one) pairs nicely with savory olive dishes as well. With that inspiration in mind, we’re sharing a classic Provençal recipe for Pissaladière from Melissa Clark. The recipe will take about 2 ½ hours to make, and will yield 8 servings. PS we prefer the puff pastry version of this dish & recommend that to pair alongside this wine.
Domaine Tempier, About.
If there is one name that looms large in Bandol it is Lucie “Lulu” Peyraud. Lulu is the matriarch of Domaine Tempier and in many ways the entirety of Bandol as we know it. It was her, along with her now-deceased husband Lucien, who tirelessly worked to to grow the notoriety of their special Provençal wines.
Lulu, of course, is as much of a product of the Provençal landscape as the lavender and aromatic scrub that sprouts from it. Her whole life she used the ingredients that grew around her to make feasts of authentic home cooking to welcome visitors to the Domaine, including Alice Waters of famed Chez Panisse.
This is just one of the innumerable ways Lulu changed the food and wine world we know. Acclaimed food writer Richard Olney dedicated an entire book to her in 1994 entitled "Lulu's Provencal Table: The Exuberant Food and Wine from the Domaine Tempier Vineyard." Kermit Lynch, one of America’s most influential wine importers, considers Domaine Tempier a cornerstone of their portfolio and credits his strong friendship with Lulu as a bond that has fortified their success. Through her hospitality, passion, curiosity and genuine kindness she attracted culinary titans like moths to a flame and forever changed them.
Of course, it helps when the wine that flows from Lulu’s domaine is exceptional.
