2016 Château de Pibarnon Bandol Nuances Rosé, Provence

Organic. This incredibly complex and savoury rosé is Pibarnon’s reminder to the market that Bandol rosé can actually age and be served at the table. In short, Nuances is a 100% Mourvèdre micro-cuvée, crafted from specific plots with the idea of producing a wine of outstanding depth and the potential to mature in the bottle (as Bandol rosé once did, believe it or not), an even more complex, potent and spicy style of Bandol rosé, that could be sipped over the cooler months and served with richer food. To this end, the Pibarnon team identified the most promising low-yielding, old-vine parcels of Mourvèdre for the Nuances bottling, including fruit from the Domaine’s prized Bel Air parcel.

The grapes for the 2016 received eight days of skin contact and the juice was then bled (saignée-style), without further pressing. Fermentation and aging took place with natural yeasts, one-third in amphora and the balance in a large, 30-hectolitre Stockinger foudre. The wine’s maturation in the cellar was considerably longer (five months) than the classic rosé. If you think all this sounds a bit ‘Rolls Royce’ for a rosé, you’d be right.

The 2016 is really stunning—a wine of depth and power with cherry-stone, anise, sour plum, and macadamia nut secondary notes. Lovely texture and still some grip, which will serve it very well at the table. Rebel with a cause!

Light bright orange-pink. A highly complex, expansive bouquet evokes fresh, mineral-laced red berries, peach, orange zest, candied lavender and fennel. Sappy, penetrating and pure, offering concentrated red berry and pit fruit flavors braced by a spine of juicy acidity and a spicy jolt of white pepper. Finishes extremely long and silky; mouth-watering acidity energizes the lingering strawberry and nectarine qualities.

94 points Josh Raynolds vinous.com