La Bastide Blanche : Bandol 2024

Tasting notes and recommendations for the Bandol 2024 rosé from La Bastide Blanche

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a delicate pale pink hue, enhanced by golden and salmon reflections, along with subtle coppery nuances depending on the light.

Nose

Highly complex, the bouquet initially reveals aromas of wild red berries such as redcurrant, cherry, and unripe strawberry, intertwined with citrus notes reminiscent of pink grapefruit and clementine. Hints of rose petals, mint, fresh garrigue herbs, and a chalky minerality complete this rich aromatic palette.

Palate

The attack is taut and vibrant, supported by bright acidity and a dry minerality. The mid-palate offers generous texture with flavors of ripe fruit, redcurrant, and spices, while maintaining remarkable freshness. The long, energetic finish stands out with a touch of herbal bitterness and pronounced salinity.

Food and wine pairings

This gastronomic rosé pairs beautifully with grilled fish seasoned with fresh herbs, such as sea bass or halibut, as well as roasted summer vegetables. It also enhances Provençal specialties like pissaladière or anchoïade, fresh seafood, and lightly salted goat cheeses.

The authentic expression of a great Bandol terroir

The estate

Founded in 1972 by Michel and Louis Bronzo, La Bastide Blanche is a benchmark estate in the South-East of France, in the heart of Provence. This family-run domaine oversees a vineyard spanning forty-seven hectares in total. Today, the estate is managed by the new generation, Nicolas and Julien Bronzo, alongside technical director Stéphane Bourret. Committed to a strong environmental approach, the estate stands out for its biodynamic certification obtained in 2020, its very low yields, and its high-quality artisanal production.

The vineyard

Located in the commune of Sainte-Anne du Castellet, the terroir of this Bandol enjoys a privileged geographical setting in the foothills of the Sainte-Baume, just a few kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea. The vines, averaging thirty-eight years of age, thrive on heterogeneous soils composed of limestone scree and clay-limestone rich in stones. The Mediterranean climate, bathed in sunshine and swept by the mistral, ensures perfect vine health and optimal berry ripening within a natural garrigue landscape.

Winemaking and aging

To craft this Bandol 2024, the estate’s teams carry out exclusively manual harvesting. An extremely rigorous sorting is performed directly in the vineyard to retain only the healthiest and perfectly ripe berries. The winemaking process aims to gently extract color while preserving aromatic freshness and the mineral identity of the terroir, in strict accordance with biodynamic principles.

Grape varieties

This wine is made from a blend of mourvèdre (51%), cinsault (24%), grenache noir (19%), and other white grape varieties (6%).