2019 Chateau de Pibarnon Bandol Rose Organic, Provence

Organic. Another cracking release, Pibarnon’s distinctive 60:40 Mourvèdre and Cinsault blend was drawn from the Estate’s stunning amphitheatre of terraces (or restanques) set amid the pine-covered hilltop of La Colline du Télégraphe. This is Bandol’s highest vineyard (at 300 metres above the Baie de Bandol) and it enjoys the freshness and cool nights of the altitude as well as the moderating sea breezes. It’s not only the elevation and proximity to the sea that makes this vineyard so special. A peculiar soil type predominates, les marnes bleues; this uncommon and highly chalky blue-tinted clay, rich in microfossils, is also sometimes encountered in the Jura and Pomerol where it is prized for its low pH, water-retentive properties and its influence on a wine’s freshness and structure.

For the winemaking, the Cinsault component was pressed directly to tank, and brings elegance, perfume and balance, while the Mourvèdre was bled, saignée-style, after several hours of skin contact, bringing vibrancy, complexity and chalky structure. Blending occurred before a wild yeast ferment. The wine was raised exclusively in tank for six months. It’s a classic Pibarnon, which once again reminds us of how serious a great rosé can be.