As thrilled as I am to feature another incredibly old Bandol from the 475-year-old cellars of Château Vannières, I’m equally upset: I was unable to taste it due to such limited supply. However, having previously savored their ’90 and ’83 bottlings, it’s safe to say this 1988 will be a smoking masterpiece that, at this stage of its life, may very well be the best Bandol of the vintage—and that’s coming from someone who’s deeply familiar with the region’s more-expensive blue bloods like Tempier and Pradeaux.

I think it’s also safe to say this will marry the best qualities of aged Bordeaux, Barolo, and Southern Rhône while containing seemingly impossible energy and youthfulness. Bottom line, this guarantees to be a mature supernova freighted with soulful intensity and brooding depth that deserves recognition at the peak of France’s wine hierarchy. Even if you’re unfamiliar with Mourvèdre and Bandol, I implore all of you to splurge on one bottle; it’ll open up your palate to an entirely new dimension. Up to four bottles per person. Happy Holidays!

BONUS: We have a (smaller) parcel of Vannières’ 1998 Bandol Rouge, available here for $145.

With a mountainous backdrop forming a natural amphitheater, quaint hilltop villages, and the glistening sea always on the horizon, Provence is among Europe’s most breathtaking regions. But if you’re looking to pinpoint Mourvèdre at its most intense, glorious, and age-worthy, all eyes are glued to the tiny, Mediterranean-adjacent appellation of Bandol where titans like Tempier, Pradeaux, Pibarnon, and Vannières reside. 

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. There was no “drink now” Bandol or “modern” Bandol—there was only Bandol, the singularly brooding expression of Provence’s most unforgiving terroir. 

Today’s 1988 library release from Château Vannières, which was first built in 1547, is the epitome of authentic, old-school Bandol Rouge: low yields, long vinification, 35-day punch-down regimen, and nearly two years of maturation in large foudres and barrels. After it was bottled, it spent over three decades resting in their dark, cool, ancient cellars. Like the 50+-year-old Remoissenet Burgundies we’ve offered in the past, this specific parcel was hand-selected by Vannières’ owners, the Boisseaux family, in February of 2021. After quality-checking each bottle, the winners were topped off with the same wine, re-corked, and laid back to rest until shipping out in 2022. So, there should be no need to pull out your ah-so or Durand and extract the cork with surgical precision—it should exit with ease. 

Furthermore, I’ve learned that old Vannières bottlings seem to be indestructible so while you can certainly let this wine open up and evolve in your glass over an evening, would you believe me if I said this 34-year-old wine could probably enjoy a proper decant? Enjoy now and over the next 5-10 years. Here’s a tasting note from their boutique importer, who recently tasted the wine: 

“Beautiful dense color with a hint of evolution. The nose is open, a little wild, and exudes aromas of leather, musk, pencil, blackberries, and plum. The palate is very structured and fleshy with a refined frame and still powerful but velvety tannins. The wine finishes very peppery, a beautiful expression of masculine Mourvèdre.”