The 2020 vintage of Bandol rouge from Domaine La Bastide Blanche is pretty ripe at 14.5 percent octane, but still exceptionally well balanced and shows zero signs of heat on the palate. The bouquet is deep, ripe and classy, wafting from the glass in a complex blend of cassis, dark berries, coffee bean, smoked meats, a touch of black tea, a fine base of soil, new leather, a judicious framing of cedary oak and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and complex, with superb depth of fruit at the core, fine soil transparency and grip, ripe, buried tannins and excellent balance on the long and very promising finish. The tannins here are so seamlessly integrated that it is not hard to drink this wine today, but its true apogee is ten years down the road. Superb juice.
93 points, John Gilman, View From The Cellar (Oct 2024)
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