Provence

Domaine Tempier sit at the pinacle of the small but highly-prized Bandol appellation in Provence, famous for its long-lived Mourvèdre wines. The small parcel of Cabassaou sits below Tourtine and is protected from the Mistral winds. Tiny yields produce an intense, tight wine with massive ageing potential.

Domaine Tempier's rosé is indisputably one of the finest in Provence, and given that it only makes up a small part of the production at this famous red wine estate, is often tricky to get hold of. But it is worth the effort if you do. It has an intense but astonishingly refined aroma, with beguiling notes of seaspray and wild flowers. The palate balances the ripe fleshiness of red berry fruit with the savoury and saline length of Mourvèdre, which makes up over half the blend, supported by Grenache and Cinsault. It is one of the most ageworthy rosés in the world.

The rarest wine in the Tempier stable, the white rarely reaches the UK market. It's made in tiny quantities from a blend of Clairette (60%), Ugni blanc (30%), with Vermentino, Bourboulenc, and Marsanne in supporting roles. Marine freshness and nutty intensity.

Tempier has stood as a preeminent domaine of Provence for decades, putting Bandol on the fine wine map. Under the direction of Daniel Ravier, the wines are getting better than ever. This classic blend of Mourvèdre, with Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault captures the wild garrigue scrub of the Provencal coast. It shows the sultry character of Mourvèdre with finesse and balance.

Domaine Tempier sit at the pinacle of the small but highly-prized Bandol appellation in Provence, famous for its long-lived Mourvèdre wines. The exposed parcel of La Tourtine enjoys the sunshine all day, but is freshened by the stiff Mistral winds. The vines look out over the Med - it's the perfect spot for Mourvèdre, which makes up at least 85% of the blend.

Domaine Tempier sit at the pinacle of the small but highly-prized Bandol appellation in Provence, famous for its long-lived Mourvèdre wines. Migoua is a blend made up of predominantly Mourvèdre (55%), with the balance of mainly Cinsault, and a little splash of Grenache and Syrah. It comes from a wild scrublands at 300m altitude.

This estate is famous for its maverick blend: roughly equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Organic farming, low yields, and long élevage married with a superb climate in Les Alpilles near Les Baux de Provence culminate in a truly unique wine. Owner Eloi Dürrbach’s refusal to play by appellation rules, the wine’s unquestionable quality, and that intangibly unique appeal of the one-off labels, first designed by his father - a great friend of Pablo Picasso - go some way in explaining this domaine’s category-defying draw. Eloi died in 2021, so 2020 is his great finale at the estate.

Over the past few decades, Gros' Noré has emerged as a top Bandol address, rubbing shoulders with its famous neighbour, Tempier. Their powerful Mourvèdre blends are rich, spicy and impressively ageworthy, and as with all great Bandols, retain a salty, herb-infused freshness. This 2019 has such an intense aroma of wild berry fruit and savoury garrigue herbs. There is a refined focus on the palate, with its grippy little tannins thanks to the quality of Mourvèdre fruit in the blend. These are so well proportioned it gives it a noble astringency along the finish which is filled out with the abundant fruit. There are layers of tobacco and spice, with a touch of liquorice. It is both earthy and elegant, full of character, and with plenty of depth to evolve over the years.

Bin-end sale: case price down from £121.50 to £110 per 6 in bond.
This rosé is one of the secret gems of our list. Pale, dry, and quintessentially Provençal at first, it opens up in the glass revealing layers of complexity that take it far beyond your average rosé. It has beautifully pithy grapefruit, orange blossom, and sweet red berry notes, with lovely sea-salty freshness on the palate. Unlike many simpler rosés, whose enjoyment lies exclusively in their fruitiness, this wine has the structure and depth to age with grace. Bandol is a small appellation, well-known for producing that rare beast: ageworthy and truly gastronomic rosés. Its neighbour Domaine Tempier put these rosés on the fine wine map. We firmly believe that Gros' Noré is every bit as thrilling, yet remains pleasingly under-the-radar. If you hold this wine for a couple of years, you'll discover just what this wine can do.

Bin-end sale: case price down from £109.05 to £99 per 3 magnums in bond.
La Londe is unusual in the Côtes de Provence for warranting its own appellation, much like Bandol. It applies only to the best sites between Toulon and St Tropez, close to the coast, facing the dazzling Porquerolle islands. Here, the schiste soils and cooling sea breeze combine to make the most elegant and sophisticated of the region’s rosés. This is the top wine from the Combard family, made from the domaine’s organically-farmed grapes, selected and vinified by parcel with meticulous attention to detail. It is fine-boned and subtle, ethereal and enticing, and shows just what the best terroirs of Provence are capable of.