A nicely brushed-up Bandol

I got this from Horrids, of all places, and it only cost me twelve notes. This is Domaine Bunan’s most serious wine. I recall it being slightly anonymous; it has improved greatly. I love Bandol, and when it is this good all of my trust in it is well-rewarded.

Château La Rouviére Bandol 1998, Domaines Bunan

This has a wonderful perfumed nose of medicine and herbs; it smells like thyme mixed with cherry-menthol flavour Tunes. In this sense it is really Bandol. However, it is extremely clean, which is distinctly atypical. It smells marvellous, most attractive. The palate has a serious tannic structure, solid meatiness, and great cough-mixture fruit, but again is really clean. It still has serious complexity, though. With impressive length too. Hell’s bells, one of my ageing experiments worked! Yummy, this is a real treat of a wine. Ready to drink, but will keep.