Domaines Bunan - Mas de la Rouviere - Bandol - Rose 2022

Tasting notes

This Bandol is a stylish Organic Provencal Rosé has a lovely coral-pink color and expressive crushed-berry scents and flavors, offset with some fresh wild herb notes. This blend benefits from that grape's intense perfume and structure. Delicious and a bit more full-bodied, it is great with a wide variety of food pairings or perfect as an aperitif.

Food Pairing: Fresh and bright with nice depth, this Rosé is very versatile. Some suggestions include tapenade, paella, grilled chicken, fish or lamb with herbs.

Appellation

Bandol is the greatest appellation in the Provence. Located near the coast east of Marseille and Cassis, it is one of Provence’s most internationally recognized wine regions. Based around the fishing village of Bandol, west of Toulon, the Bandol AOC covers the production of 8 communes with silicon & limestone soils. Those soils and the warm, coastal climate are ideally suited for the late ripening Mourvèdre grape which is the major varietal of the region. For both the red and rosé wines, Mourvèdre must account for at least 50% of the blend, though most producers will use significantly more, with Grenache & Cinsault usually filling out the rest of the wine’s composition.

Estate

With its traditional Provencal architecture and 18th century bastide, Château la Rouvière overlooks a hillside lined with with low stone walls and faces south with views as far as the limestone ridge above the ‘Bec de l’Aigle’. Owned by the family since 1969, the vineyards are planted with the appellation’s five traditional varietals and fifty year old vine stocks. Its narrow stone walls, each wide enough to fit three rows of vines, rise up along the sunny hillside towards the Château.

In 1961, brothers Paul and Pierre Bunan purchased this vineyard in the hills above the port of Bandol. The vineyard area is a single plot of 14.56 hectares in the area around the medieval village of Le Castellet. Its subsoil is composed of limestone, sandstone and marl. Over time they have renewed the vineyards, planting the classic Bandol varietals Mourvèdre, Grenache and Cinsault, but many old Mourvèdre vines still remain. Their wines enjoy a great reputation among the Mediterranean resort towns from Marseille to Nice, as well as a healthy export market. The wines of the Bunan domaines are farmed organically and all hand harvested.

Paul’s son, Laurent, returned to the family estate after completing his studies in oenology and winemaking in California. He was the first of the next generation to open the doors to a newer and more modern approach. Today he is in charge of the export and development of the Domaines Bunan. His sister Françoise is in charge of the communications with art playing a central role in her strategy. Pierre’s daughter Claire, has qualified in the field of wine marketing. Her brother Philippe hopes to become an agricultural engineer. The combined talents of this family unite to create a warm, welcoming and highly skilled team. Excellence and authenticity are the hallmarks of this family who pride themselves on producing wines of exceptional quality.

History

Throughout the ages, the lords of the medieval Chateau of le Castellet kept their table supplied with the wines from the terraces which are now overlooked by this 18th century manor house built in typical Provencal style. In 1969, Paul and Pierre Bunan undertook the task of renewing the vine stocks and today, the estate comprises the five classic strains for this classification, together with a proportion of Syrah grapes which contribute significantly to the character of the Mas’s red wines.

Vinification

Late harvested, completely destalked, organically-grown grapes are fermented over two weeks in stainless steel vats. The wine is blended late in January and bottled from May onwards.

France Provence Bandol