Why it matters
The producer
Eric de Saint-Victor is the current winemaker at Château Pibarnon. The estate obtained organic certification in 2019. Its wines ferment with indigenous yeasts and age in new and older French oak casks and barrels. Mourvèdre and Grenache shape the red bottlings, while the range also includes Bandol Blanc and Bandol Rosé.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Château Pibarnon is in La Cadière-d'Azur, in the Bandol region of Provence. The region receives approximately 3,000 sunshine hours each year. Triassic blue Santonian marls containing trace elements lie in the subsoil beneath the estate.
Wines to know
The range in view
Bandol Rouge is the principal red, composed of 90% Mourvèdre and 10% Grenache and made for ageing. Les Restanques is the second red bottling, made from younger vines with 70% Mourvèdre and 30% Grenache.
The range also includes Bandol Blanc and Bandol Rosé. Bandol Blanc is soft and inviting, with apricot, white peach and a refreshing almond finish. Bandol Rosé is round and fleshy, combining fullness in the mouth with vivacity for freshness.