Deep, warm mahogany to dark amber with copper reflections – testament to the long ageing period.
Nose
Dense bouquet of dried fruits, walnut and cinnamon, accompanied by notes of cedar wood, roasted aromas and a hint of liquorice – the signature of Mourvèdre.
Palate
Warm and full-bodied on the palate, with fine spice, candied fruits and gentle tannins from the wood ageing; long, soft and warming on the finish despite 42.5% ABV.
Character
A mature, complex spirit without any harshness – more sensual and polished than loud, entirely in the style of the velvety Pibarnon wines.
Pairing
With espresso after dinner, dark chocolate or a mature hard cheese such as Comté extra vieux.
Notes
Aged for over two decades and bottled in the large magnum – a pomace brandy from the Bandol amphitheatre on blue Triassic marl, produced by an estate that has been organically certified since 2019 and whose marc is rarely to be found.
Tasting note
Character
A pomace brandy aged for decades from the house of Pibarnon – the distilled essence of Mourvèdre pomace, that grape variety which Éric de Saint Victor cellars to be velvety, complex and profound. With 25 years of maturation, this Marc reveals itself as calm, spicy and possessed of a warmth that embraces rather than burns: dried fruits, liquorice, leather, a hint of Provençal herbs over the garrigue slopes. The magnum bottle underscores the celebratory, meditative character of this digestif – a spirit of patience, not a drink for those in a hurry.
Terroir & Origin
Pibarnon sits enthroned at the highest point of the Bandol appellation, within an amphitheatre of restanques – centuries-old stone terraces built by hand, from which the view stretches all the way to the Mediterranean. The soils of blue Triassic marl containing prehistoric fossils are geologically considered relatives of those on which Pétrus is rooted. This limestone, heated by the Provençal sun and protected by the slope’s position, lends Mourvèdre its depth – and its power carries through into the pomace.
Grape Variety & Vinification
The foundation is Mourvèdre, the soul of the estate. After the pressing of the great Bandol Rouge, the pomace is distilled and the spirit refined over decades – at Pibarnon for up to 25 years, as the house itself states as its benchmark. Éric de Saint Victor, who has run the estate since 2000 and grew up among the casks, follows the same line here as with his wines: sensual rather than loud, velvety rather than aggressive. Cellar master Marie Laroze has ensured since 2008, with Burgundian precision, that this patience is reflected in every drop. The estate has been organically certified since 2019.
Food Pairings
A soloist for the finale: alongside dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, with dried figs and walnuts, with mature Comté or Mimolette. It also holds its own effortlessly next to a cigar or an espresso – the liquorice note of the Mourvèdre binds together bitter and roasted flavours.
