Production area

The production area is small, because of the rigid rules governing its determination.
The production area is bounded by a wide ring of hills, the exposure is southerly, and open to the south-west winds, there by enjoying maximum sunshine and aeration
Starting from the Golfe des Lecques, rising to the Plateau du Camp and then curving towards Le Beausset, the boundary of the production area follows the top of the hills and runs back to the sea to the east of Sanary. The principal Communes included in this area are Bandol, Sanary, La Cadière d’Azur, Le Castellet and parts of Le Beausset. Saint Cyr/Mer, Ollioules and Evenos.
Almost the whole of this area consists of clay-limestone soil. Only part of it lies on the Triassic slopes of Le Canadeau and le Télégraphe, and on calcareous rock rubble in the region of Sanary, Bandol and Saint Cyr/Mer. Soils, which were formed by the disintegration of the parent rock, play by far the most important role in providing the characteristics of Bandol wines. The land is arid, and the yield is low. But it is particularly rich in silicious elements, a feature of many soils that produce “Appellation Contrôlée” wines.

Climate

The climate in the Bandol area is particularly suited to cultivating wines.
Surrounded by a vast amphitheatre of mountains and enclosed by hills rising to a height of 1.300 Feet, the vineyards slope down to the sea, facing south.
They receive more sunshine than any other locality on the French Riviera (more than 3.000 hours a year) and also benefit from the favorable influence of the Mistral. The winds from the east and the south-east ensure adequate rainfall (annual average 650mm during autumn and winter).
During the sunny summer season, sea breezes temper the hot days. Between August and October the sky is remarkably clear, and the grapes reach maturity every year without any difficulty. So far as Bandol wines are concerned, it can safely be said that there are no “bad years”.

Geology

Almost the whole of this area consists of clay-limestone soil.
The land is arid and the yield is low.
But it is particularly rich in silicious elements, a feature of soils producing A.O.C.

Birdseye on the Bandol Vineyard

These vineyards are seen at their best from the heights that overlook them. From the hilltops covered with forests of oak and pine trees the vines are planted in terraces sloping down from the hillsides. They form low, narrow rectangles of white earth, kept in place by dry stone walls. The origin and purpose of these walls are evident: in order to cultivate the soil, the loose blocks or rock had to be removed and subsequently, to hold the arable soil in place and protect it from erosion, the vine cultivators used the rocks to build walls, using stones but no mortar.
Olive-trees may be seen here and there; flowers are grown in some places - notably narcissi and everlasting flowers.
Amid the vines stand red-roofed “bastides” (provencal manor house) all facing south. In the course of generations, these buildings have been enlarged; the low buildings, facing north, are the cellars, half-buried in the ground - a reminder of the fact that wine production has flourished for many centuries in the Bandol region.

Why Bandol has become a fashionable wine?

A surprising number of connoisseurs (among them several recent presidents of the French Republic, all of them renowned gourmets) discovered this small vineyard of some 2.000 acres a while ago and had already singled it out from all those which surround it. They obviously made no mistake for the fashion they set is now rapidly taking all France by storm. How can we account for this fashion and where does it come from?
In an area no bigger than a pocket handkerchief, and which can be crossed over in ten minutes, we find a combination of all the necessary conditions for producing a great wine: a limited production of only 25.000 hectoliters, a small number of wine growers, a special “cépage” (grape variety) - “Mourvèdre” - which only gives a low yield, therefore concentrated wines.
It is now a completely accepted fact that Bandol wine, classified as “A.O.C.” for the past 42 years is in its own unique way, equal to the greatest of wines. The specialists were quite right.

A few flattering comments

- Jean Luc POUTEAU winner of the best sommelier in the world” contest in 1983 and Nicolas de RABAUDY published a survey of their wine tasting in a book called “SAVOIR BOIRE” (How to drink wine) in 1984:
“ Red Bandol is the Lafitte Rotschild of Côtes de Provence said Jean Louis Othier, the head Chef and owner of the Oasis Restaurant in La Napoule “.
(Savoir Boire. Edition J.C. Lattés Paris)

- Le Guide GAULT and MILLAU, “bible” and bedside book of all French gourmets gives high praise to Bandol wine:
“ It would be unforgivable and a serious mistake to confuse Bandol wines with other wines of Provence the soil of this small area can Indeed produce great wines, equal in their uniqueness to more famous appellations such as... certain great Burgundy or Bordeaux wines”.
(Gault et Millau Special Vin Septembre 1980)

Many other famous gourmets have discovered and sung the praises of these distinctive and unique wines - but we cannot quote them all.

It is a rare wine, one for wine "Amateurs"

Production only reached 25.000 hectoliters (3 millions 1/ 2 bottles) in 1983... that is a tiny amount of the total French A. 0. C. production that is consumed easily locally or as a curiosity elsewhere. The low yield from “Mourvèdre” makes Bandol wine a rarity.
It is a wine for wine lovers to collect. For every great appellation there is a corresponding great “cépage” and all collectors and wine lovers should have a cellar where the wines produced from the world’s most famous “cépages” are tenderly collected together. “Mourvèdre” only exists in the Bandol area.

One of God's blasseings at an unbeatable price

Those who can come to visit the Bandol area will be able to idle away the time exploring twisty little narrow roads, climbing up the hillsides in this magnificent countryside.
These roads will lead them from “Domaines” to “Châteaux” (wine producing estates), there are only twenty of them and they are all just next door to one another. This “appellation’ is just making its way out into the world so that, for the time being, It is still within the Bandol area that the best “Blessing-Price” ratio can be found. Indeed for a very reasonable price you can take back home great vintage wines as well as very distinctive and original “rosé’ and white wines.
The good body of these well balanced wines makes it possible to transport and ship them easily. As early as 1866 JULIEN had already noted in his “Topography of Vineyards” that:
“ Bandol wines have a forthright taste, keep for a long time and acquire quality as they age and when they travel”.