Chateau Pradeaux Rouge, Bandol, Provence, France 2018

The Château Pradeaux is situated on the outskirts of the town of Saint Cyr-sur-Mer that lies directly on the Mediterranean Ocean between Toulon and Marseilles. The estate has been in the hands of the Portalis family since before the French Revolution. The domaine is currently under the direction of Cyrille Portalis, the sole direct descendant of Suzanne and Arlette. He continues to maintain the great traditions of this estate and is assisted by his wife, Magali, and now his two sons, Etienne and Edouard.

• Farming: Organic
• Variety: Mourvèdre (95%), Grenache (5%)
• Winemaker: Etienne Portalis 
• Terroir: South-facing sloped parcels around the commune of Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer on Limestone-clay. 25-year-old head-trained vines at 5000 vines per ha.
• Vinification: After crushing, crop is spontaneously co-fermented whole-cluster for approximately one month in foudre. Hydraulic Pressing. Six months on lees. Malolactic Fermentation in foudres. Minimal sulfur (applied at harvest and after malolactic fermentation.)
• Aging: 4 years in wood foudres. Unfined and unfiltered.
• Tasting Notes: This is a wine of ferocious tannin in its youth, even after its prolonged respite in foudres. That aging helps coax it from its tannic cocoon, revealing an astounding complexity of flavor and aroma. The nose evokes honey and white flowers with a hint of animal fur; the color is ruby red; the fruit stains the palate; and the finish brings dusty, ripe tannins. Eric Asimov, wine critic of The New York Times, adds, “Perhaps no Bandol is as resolutely old school as Château Pradeaux."