The immortalized gothic cathedrals scattered about Europe—Notre Dame, Saint Vitus, Cologne, Milan—are titanic, sculpted-from-earth marvels with formidable and breathtakingly haunting facades. But step inside these colossal beasts and their intricate beauty and understated grace affect even the most stoic among us. Château Pradeaux, too, evokes the same response: With its brawny, soul-stirring complexities and inexhaustible cellar life, these ultra-traditional reds are a mandatory reference point for fine French wine.
Perhaps no estate in Bandol, or France for that matter, carries the traditionalist torch so proudly: The deeply mineral and broodingly powerful reds of Pradeaux are a towering, centuries-deep monument of consistency/excellence. They are always accompanied by a shroud of mysticism, delivering untold depths of complexity and exponential levels of pleasure—in due time. Thankfully, Pradeaux always does a generous amount of the heavy lifting: the devout practices here make it so you won’t ever see a youthful wine on the market. Each hand-crafted bottle of Bandol Rouge develops for 48+ months in their cellar before the public ever lays eyes on it. And even though today’s 2015 is undoubtedly the most exciting “young” Pradeaux I’ve ever experienced, it is still an infant—albeit one with a Mensa membership. An hours-long decant is certainly an option now, but to truly familiarize yourself with the inimitable hallmarks that made Pradeaux a living legend, another 5-10 years must pass—and it will easily keep cellaring decades beyond that. This is one of the most powerful, palate-rocking experiences in the world. Prepare yourself, and enjoy!
I can think of few world-class wine appellations that have changed so dramatically in style and technical definition as Bandol. In decades past, Bandol represented the Provençal equivalent of the greatest Barolo or Left Bank Bordeaux—it was the epitome of dark, deeply complex red wine that demanded many patient years in barrel and bottle before revealing its true glory. Bandol was overwhelmingly dominated by the tannic and unforgiving Mourvèdre grape, mercilessly fermented in whole clusters, then aged for years in enormous old oak barrels before release to the American market (where it still demanded additional years in cellar before optimal consumption!). There was no “drink now” Bandol or “modern” Bandol—there was only Bandol, the singularly brooding expression of Provence’s most unforgiving terroir.
Fast-forward to the present day, wherein the majority of red wine produced in Bandol comes in the form of young-drinking, softer style of reds. Many incorporate a large percentage of overripe Grenache, 100% destemming, aging in small new oak barriques, and end with a release date that just barely satisfies the AOC’s minimum 1.5-year aging requirement. To put this in context, I wouldn’t fault an experienced taster for confusing many modern Bandols with Côtes du Rhône or some modern Spanish reds. Château Pradeaux, meanwhile, rests at the completely opposite end of this historic and stylistic continuum. The property’s reds are proudly 95-100% Mourvèdre. Pradeaux naturally ferments its grapes in the traditional whole-cluster method and resulting wines are aged in enormous neutral oak foudres and ovals for four (!) years before bottling.
The result is a powerful red with a complexity and depth of character all its own. Because of this uncompromising approach in the vines and in the cellar—and above all, because of one family’s integrity and undying patience—Château Pradeaux’s reds continue to carry the torch for the classic Bandol of yesteryear. Cyrille Portalis (whose family has farmed Château Pradeaux since before the French Revolution) is the current patriarch of the family property and he maintains all traditional processes: Vines younger than 25 years are jettisoned to rosé production, leaving only the old trunks for Pradeaux’s reds. All fruit is harvested by hand, and everything from the grape varieties to the giant old barrels in the family’s cellar remain as they were in the 1960s.
Today’s Bandol Rouge always consists of at least 95% Mourvèdre, a hardy and thick-skinned grape that generates a wild brute of a wine. But while this 2015 is among the most tannic wines on the planet—young Barolo included—there is an underlying lushness and generosity to it all. Because of its monstrous ferocity, we recommended a minimum three-hour decant before service in large Bordeaux stems while stashing away your others for consumption well down the line. Mind you, not just five or ten years from now—I’m talking decades. The experience an old (25+-year-old) Pradeaux brings is completely singular; the pinnacle of salty/meaty/spicy/mineral savoriness.
Still, what it brings to the table today is incredibly impressive: Expect dense, dark notes of grilled meat, black currant, black cherry liqueur, dried plum, cassis, anise, violets, garrigue, loose tobacco, leather, and various exotic baking spices. The full-bodied palate offers unexpected grace that melds into an infinitely powerful, broad-shouldered backbone of minerality, savory earth, and plush brambleberries. Do you think you know tannic wine? Think again. This doesn’t just leave a lasting impression—it dominates your thoughts—and with time, it will become a sweet memory. Pradeaux is an unforgettable look into the enchanting world of Bandol and for the price, it’s the savviest investment, too. Cheers!
