This is the first time I’ve tried Bandol from Château Lafran-Veyrolles. Perhaps it was a bit of a mistake to buy a 2003, even though it does claim to be only 13.5% alcohol. It is 80% Mourvedre and most of the rest is Grenache with a bit of Cinsaut.
Bandol 2003, Château Lafran-Veyrolles
This has plenty of Mourvedre character on the nose: grilled meat and rich, dark fruit. It is quite earthy, too, but doesn’t seem especially complex. At least it is not overpoweringly ripe and alcoholic. The palate is very dry and has really bitter tannins. Eeergh, I don’t fancy this much. What fruit is present is completely dominated by the nasty, bitter character. The tannins go far beyond ‘rigour’ and arrive quite easily at the ‘not very nice’ platform. Give me Pibarnon or Tempier any day.
