# Bandol Rouge (2024)

- **Producer:** Domaine du Gros' Noré
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan
- **Region:** Provence, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €40
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackberry, blackcurrant, plum, black pepper, lavender, herbaceous, mint, cedar, smoke, charred wood

## About this wine

Domaine du Gros' Noré is located in the Cadière d'Azur within the prestigious Bandol appellation of Provence. Founded by Alain Pascal, who named the estate after his father, Honoré ('Gros' Noré' meaning 'Fat Honoré'), the estate transitioned from selling grapes to top producers like Tempier to bottling their own wines in 1997. Alain Pascal is known for his hands-on, traditional approach, farming his clay-limestone vineyards without chemical weedkillers or synthetic fertilizers. The estate's wines are celebrated for their power, authenticity, and deep connection to the rugged Provençal terroir.

## Interesting facts

- The estate is named 'Gros' Noré' (Fat Honoré) as a tribute to Alain Pascal's father, who was a man of impressive physical stature.
- Before 1997, Alain Pascal sold his high-quality grapes to legendary Bandol estates, including Domaine Tempier and Château de Pibarnon.
- Alain Pascal is a former boxer, bringing the same strength, discipline, and passion to his vineyards and winemaking.

## Food pairing

The robust structure, high tannins, and rich dark fruit profile of this Mourvèdre-dominant Bandol require rich, protein-heavy dishes. The proteins and fats in red meats and game bind with the wine's firm tannins, softening them on the palate, while the wine's earthy and herbal notes beautifully complement wild game, rosemary, and forest floor flavors.

## Wine making process

The Bandol Rouge is crafted predominantly from Mourvèdre, supplemented by Grenache, Cinsault, and Carignan. Grapes are hand-harvested, fully destemmed, and fermented using indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is then aged for 18 months in large, neutral oak foudres ranging from 25 to 60 hectoliters. This traditional aging process softens the robust Mourvèdre tannins without imparting dominant oak flavors, preserving the pure expression of the fruit and terroir. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.