Highlights: Domaine du Gros’ Noré 2017 Bandol, France

Alain Pascal began this domaine in 1997. I first came across these wines courtesy of La Vigneronne, a wine shop in London. Liz and Mike Berry were big fans of Bandol, and stocked quite a few. I bought quite a few bottles of the 2000, and still have a couple: it has always been a lovely wine. This is a Mourvèdre-heavy blend, and it’s quite special, albeit in a slightly wild style.

Domaine du Gros’ Noré 2017 Bandol, France
14.5% alcohol. A blend of Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Grenache and Carignan. This is such a wine of place: it has a sweetly aromatic nose of blackberries, spice, black pepper and meat. The palate is complex, meaty and spicy with a wild animal character sitting under the sweet, ripe fruit. It finishes a bit rustic and wild, but I really like it: this screams Bandol at you, and although I suspect it would get hammered in a wine competition, once you know where it’s from, it works. 93/100 (£22 Lay & Wheeler https://www.laywheeler.com/our-producers/domaine-du-gros-nore)

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