Bandol

Our beloved neighbor, Lizz, brought this white wine over for dinner recently. She had been talking about it excitedly for weeks, and it did not disappoint.

The 2021 Domaine Tempier Bandol Blanc is a wild combo of Clairette (60%), Bourboulenc (19%), Ugni Blanc (18%), and Marsanne (3%). These white wine grapes are not your usual suspects in the U.S., but they show up often in the south of France.

White wine isn’t your usual suspect in Bandol, either. Bandol is in Provence—which best known for its rosés. 90% of the wine produced in Provence is rosé. Bandol is actually known for its red wines—white wine is just 5% of the production there— so I was especially excited to try this blend.

This beautiful Bandol Blanc has lemony, honeydew flavors and a beautiful citrus tang that was also incredibly smooth. The acidity is bright, but not electric—in all the right ways. The winemakers age this blend for 10 months before bottling it. They suggest keeping it in your cellar for another 1 to 5 years. If you can keep yourself from drinking it for 5 years, you’ll amplify its delicious honey and ocean vibes. We had our bottle with homemade bucatini in white clam sauce and it was a delight. A great end of summer white wine.

Tempier’s Bandol Blanc is tough to find here in the states, but of course the great Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant stocks it. The 2021 was $62. It’s sold out, but you can sign up for the 2022, if you’re interested in trying a rare white Bandol.

Chin!