About

Artisanal Winemaking Tradition

One of the world's leading wine experts, Karen MacNeil, ranks Bandol as "the best appellation in Provence." MacNeil classifies Bandol as the "Leading Appellation" for red and rosé wines among "The Most Important Provençal Wines."[1] Karen MacNeil is the Chairman of the Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America located in the Napa Valley and author of the award-winning book, "The Wine Bible," which is the best selling and the most comprehensive and authoritative wine book in the US.

The artisanal winemaking tradition of Bandol produces one of the six "noble wines" of the special French and Italian regions, whose names begin with the letter "B" and whose depth, expression, tradition, and class have historically set the gold standard for distinguished wines and up-and-comers alike.[2] This description modifies the count of five of the attorney and oenophile, Stephen George, who combined together the two Piedmont zones of Barolo and Barbaresco, that actually have some distinct differences between them.[3]

Bandol's artisanal winemaking produces noble, full-bodied, country wines of great power and depth. Bandol winemakers are committed to producing wines of the highest quality. Bandol is a small region and traditionally produces only small amounts of wine with meticulous and delicate care, as compared to the mass production of millions of cases produced by others per vintage. Louis XV first made Bandol fashionable by serving it at the royal table. When asked the secret of youth, he replied, "The wines of Bandol." In the 18th and 19th centuries, merchants shipped Bandol to India and the Americas as a matter of course. Bandol was one of the very first regions in France to be granted Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée ("AOC") status in 1941.[2]

The Bandol wine region near Toulon, located near the coast east of Marseille and Cassis, is one of Provence's most internationally recognized and significant wine regions.[4] Based around the fishing village of Bandol, west of Toulon, the Bandol AOC covers the production of 8 communes. Red Bandol wine is characterized by its dark color with rich flavors of black fruit, vanilla, cinnamon, and leather that usually require at least 10 years of aging before they fully develop. Though examples are made that can be approachable in three years.[5] Prior to release, the wine is required to spend at least 18 months aging in oak.[6] Whenever popping the cork of a young Bandol, be sure to let it decant an hour or two before serving.[2]

 

History

Winemaking has existed in the Land of Israel since at least Biblical times for over 4000 years. In the book of Deuteronomy, the fruit of the vine was listed as one of the seven blessed species of fruit found in the Land of Israel (Deuteronomy 8:8).[7] The location of Israel along a historic wine trading route between Mesopotamia and Egypt brought winemaking knowledge and influence to the area.[8] Wine played a significant role in the religion of the early Israelites with images of grape growing, harvesting, and winemaking often being used to illustrate religious ideals.[9] In Roman times, wine from Israel was exported to Rome with the most sought after wines being vintage dated with the name of the winemaker inscribed on the amphora.[8]

Wine has been made in the Provence region for at least 2600 years since the ancient Greeks founded the city of Marseille in 600 BCE. Throughout the region's history, viticulture and winemaking has been influenced by the cultures that have ruled over this area, from the Greeks, Romans, Carolingians, Catalans, Savoys to the Sardinians, who ruled the region till the end of the 19th century. This diverse influence has left a legacy in the large variety of grapes that are used to make Provençal wine, which include local varieties of Greek and Roman origins as well as Spanish, Italian, and traditional French wine grapes.[6,7]

The exact time that viticulture was begun in Provence is difficult to calculate, with the possibility of early inhabitants using indigenous vines to produce wine before the Phocaean Greeks settled Massalia in 600 BCE. Archaeological evidence, in the form of amphora fragments indicate that the Greeks were producing wine in the region soon after they settled. By the time that the Romans reached the area in 125 BCE, the wine produced there had a reputation across the Mediterranean for high quality.[6,7]

 

Wine Styles and Food Pairings

Wine expert Karen MacNeil notes that most well made examples of Provençal wine have flavors and aromas that reflect the garrigue landscape of the region which includes wild lavender, rosemary, and thyme. The rosé of the region are normally dry with zestiness derived from their acidity. The red and whites are characterized by their full bodies and intense aromatics. The nature and impression of the wines change significantly depending on if they are consumed as an apéritif or paired with food, particularly the unique flavors of Provençal cuisine. The rosé wine in particular is noted for its ability to pair well with garlic based dishes, such as aioli.[1,6]

 

References

1. MacNeil, Karen, The Wine Bible, pp 306-311, Workman Publishing, 2001, ISBN 1-56305-434-5.
2. George, Stephen, "Bandol: Provence's Best Kept Secret," IntoWine, <www.intowine.com/bandol-provence-s-best-kept-secret>.
3. "Barbaresco," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2008, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., <en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbaresco>.
4. Stevenson, T., The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, pp 243-247, Dorling Kindersley, 2005, ISBN 0756613248.
5. McCarthy, E., and Ewing-Mulligan, M., French Wine for Dummies, pp 224-228, Wiley Publishing, 2001, ISBN 0764553542.
6. "Provence Wine," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2008, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., <en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provence_wine>.
7. Robinson, Jancis (ed), The Oxford Companion to Wine, Third Edition, pp 364-365, 551, Oxford University Press, 2006, ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
8. "Israeli wine," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2011, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., <en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_wine>.
9. Domine, A. (ed), Wine, pp 742-745, Ullmann Publishing, 2008, ISBN 9783833146114.
10. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license by Agne27, 2008, <creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en>.