I consider myself a wine junkie and continually seek out opportunities to find and taste new and interesting wines. Admittedly I’m partial to French wines so while taking a sojourn in Nice, one of my favorite places on earth, I looked to take a couple day trips into some of the nearby wine regions. My primary objective was Chateauneuf du Pape, one of my favorite AOC’s and had was fortunate to find a company with an opening for a one-person tour. Getting there meant a long train ride via Marseilles and Avignon, but I was undeterred. Unfortunately (and sadly typical), a train strike hit France and derailed my plans. So, I needed to find an alternative for the next day and found that Bandol was a much closer and easier AOC to get to.
I had taken sommelier classes in NYC, but we didn’t cover much on Bandol, so it’s not an AOC I am that familiar with. But learned it’s the only AOC made almost entirely from Mouvedre which is a wonderful varietal and frequently used making Chateauneuf…so how could I go wrong? And at around 25,000 hectares, France is the leading grower by far.
I decided to look on-line to find a way to explore it, and in doing my research, came upon Maison du Vin (http://www.vinsdebandol.com/en/maison-des-vins.cfm), the de facto headquarters for Bandol wines. After surfing the site, I discovered they were hosting “L’Escale des Vignerons” (http://www.escaledesvignerons.fr), a tasting event that weekend (May 19-20) at the port in Bandol. Perfect timing!
The next morning, I got my ticket and boarded a TGV from Nice to Bandol – via Toulon. After a manageable 2-hour train ride along the scenic Cote d’Azur, I arrived at this sleepy little town…made even sleepier by it being a Sunday. Powered by my Google Maps, I made the short walk down to the pier, with the road ending exactly at the entrance to L’Escale which was in full swing. Entry is free, and you simply buy a tasting glass for 6€. There were around 20 wineries sharing about 10 tents, offering tastings. Along with a small stage featuring a great local band and a few food tents.
Being really hungry, I started in the back near the food tents where I found a couple serving a couple local seafood specialties; a cold plate of oysters and shrimp and moules marniere, one of my favorites. I ordered the moules and received a huge plastic container filled to the brim along with plenty of sliced baguettes for dipping. The whole ensemble was incredibly fresh and savory. I sat with my food and took in the music under the sun baked French coast.
Now fed, I made my way down the tasting circuit featuring mainly reds and rosés. I found the roses to be a little too citrusy and Sauvignon Blanc like for my palate, but the reds were simply incredible. Bandol reds are rich, full-bodied, rustic wines known for their spicy, earthy characteristics. While not too fruit forward, you can taste notes of blueberry, blackberry and plum, with some hints of black pepper. Most were about 80-90% Mouvedre with the remainder being Grenache and Cinsault. If you like Cabs, then you will probably like Bandol wines. Though they are somewhat lighter than Cabs and worked quite well, even in the warm weather. Bottles went for between 14-25€which was quite reasonable for the quality, as they likely go for more in the US. Of the reds I tried, some of my favorites vineyards were:
2013 Domaine Maubernard Rouge
2015 Moulin de la Loque Roque
2015 Chateau de Castillon - Domaine de la Begude Rouge
2015 Rouge & Saint Ferreol
2012 - Domaine Tour du Bon
While my French is not the best, most of the staff were appreciative of my ‘thirst for knowledge’, and I was able to make conversation with many of the vintner staff who were eager to teach me more about Bandol wines and its history that dates back all the way to the 6thcentury B.C. The terroir today is pretty similar today and so you’re essentially drinking the same wine as the ancient Phoenicians. Finding L’Escale was random and serendipitous event but gave me a great appreciation for this famous AOC…and made my trip from Nice an amazing and memorable one.
I ended up buying a couple bottles, the 2013 Mauberand and 2015 Moulin de la Roque. Since I couldn’t take the bottles on the plane, I made quick work of them over some cheese, meat and baguettes from the Cours Saleya market in Nice. So, if you happen to be anywhere in the south of France in the middle of May, I highly recommend a visit to Bandol and L’Escale de Vignerons.
