Chateau Pradeaux 2023 Bandol Rose

Winemaker Notes

The estate is owned by the Portalis family, which has owned this property since before the French Revolution. The domaine is currently under the direction of Cyrille Portalis, who continues to maintain the great traditions of this estate. Although the majority of the vineyards are planted to Mourvèdre, the Château Pradeaux Bandol Rosé is composed of Cinsault and Grenache as well as Mourvèdre. After a short maceration on the skins, in order to extract a light color, the juice is fermented at low temperatures to retain freshness, fruit and bouquet. After being aged in stainless steel, the wine is normally bottled in the spring of the year following harvest. It is one of the richest of the rosés of France; dry but full-bodied with a floral bouquet. It is a very limited production wine, as most of the production at Château Pradeaux is used to make the formidable Bandol Rouge.

The Bandol Rosé from Pradeaux is perhaps the most serious wine in this category. Robust, rich, and complex with an ability to age gracefully, this wine is based on Cinsault and Mourvèdre, taking its slight orange tint from the latter cépage. The younger vines of the domaine (average age: 25 years) are utilized to produce a rare rosé with staying power and exceptional complexity.