Château de Pibarnon Rouge AOC 2011

Wine description for Château de Pibarnon Rouge AOC 2011 by Château de Pibarnon

Character

The 2011 vintage impressively showcases the vision of Éric de Saint Victor: a red wine of aristocratic stature that combines power with an almost velvety, sensual texture. Far from rustic harshness, this Bandol presents itself as complex and remarkably elegant. It possesses the necessary structure for decades of ageing, yet already reveals its charming, sophisticated side – an intellectual pleasure without any ostentation.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes ripen at the highest point of the Bandol appellation in Provence. Here, the centuries-old, hand-layered stone terraces – known as restanques – form a monumental amphitheatre overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The unique terroir is characterised by blue Triassic marl and prehistoric fossils. This geological peculiarity, reminiscent of the soils of famous top estates in Pomerol, lends the wine its extraordinary complexity and cool finesse.

Grape Variety & Vinification

This cuvée is primarily based on the demanding Mourvèdre grape variety, complemented by a portion of Cinsault. Cellar master Marie Laroze vinifies the parcels with the utmost meticulousness in the estate’s modern gravity-fed cellar. The Mourvèdre, which can often seem unruly, shows its finest side here, carried by dark fruit and a fine spice reminiscent of liquorice.

Food Pairings

A Bandol of such structure and maturity demands a cuisine that is as classic as it is rich. It is an excellent partner for braised rack of lamb with Herbes de Provence, fine wild game ragout, or a classic fillet of beef in a red wine reduction.