Domaine Tempier Bandol Pour Lulu 2017

“The 2017 Bandol Pour Lulu (a specially named cuvée classique) is at that intermediate, middle-aged stage, where not everything is as harmonious and elegant as it was or will be. Tight and dark-fruited on the nose, it’s medium to full-bodied, with dusty tannins framing notes of redcurrants and cola on the finish. Drink: 2023-2035. 90+ points

Covering 60 hectares and sprawling across five villages, this famous, family-owned estate needs little introduction. The vineyards are certified organic, and biodynamic principles are also employed, albeit without certification. I included the 2021 Bandol Rose in my rosé coverage last summer, so this write-up focuses on the estate’s other wines, including a few back vintages to give readers an idea of how these wines might evolve. With a high proportion of old-vine Mourvèdre, the wines are typically long-lived, with the 2011 Touraine and 2004 Cabassaou drinking beautifully at the moment but with plenty of life still ahead. A reference point in the appellation.”

Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (01/23)

“Easily the most widely recognized estate in Bandol, Domaine Tempier has been run by the Peyraud family since 1936. Today, with the passing of Lucien Peyraud in 1996 and the retirement of sons Francois and Jean-Marie, the estate is run by the tall, energetic and talented Daniel Ravier—who speaks with a refreshing honesty and humility. Looking at the reds, the estate fashions four cuvees, a classic Bandol from a mix of terroirs, and three single vineyards—La Migoua, La Tourtine and Cabassaou. Lying outside the village of Le Beausset, the La Migoua vineyard is the highest elevation site of the three and sits at 270 meters above sea level; it consists of diverse clay and limestone soils. Possessing the smallest amount of Mourvèdre (~55%) and the most Grenache, this cuvee is always slightly less powerful and rich than the other two single vineyards, yet is always the most perfumed and complex. The La Tourtine parcel lies at a slightly lower elevation, in the Castellet region, and is more homogeneously clay soils. This parcel yields a powerful, rich, concentrated and surprisingly polished Bandol that has the fruit and texture to impress in its youth, yet the concentration to age beautifully. The smallest parcel is the Cabassaou, which lies below the Tourtine parcel in a more sheltered, warmer terroir. This cuvee has the highest percentage of Mourvèdre (upwards of 95%), as well as some of the oldest vines of the estate. It shares similarities to the Tourtine cuvee and is a rich, powerful, seriously impressive wine that every wine lover should taste once (preferably more) in their life.”

Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate (225)