Eric de Saint-Victor welcomed me to his family’s picturesque estate high in the hills above Bandol. Certified organic since 2019, the estate comprises 54 hectares of vines and produces around 150,000 bottles annually, with a split of 60% red, 30% Rosé and 10% white. After discovering the property in the late 1970s, de Saint-Victor’s parents patiently established Pibarnon’s modern reputation over decades, transforming it into one of the region’s benchmark domaines. The red wines here continue to reflect a thoughtful balance between tradition and refinement. For many years, the Bandol reds routinely included around 20% whole clusters, regardless of stem maturity. Following a successful trial with fully destemmed fruit in 2001, that approach was recalibrated. Today, stem inclusion is assessed vintage by vintage, generally settling around 10 to 15%, enough to bring aromatic lift and structural nuance without overwhelming the fruit. The flagship Bandol Rouge is composed of 90% Mourvèdre, 8% Grenache and 2% Syrah, and sees 20 months of aging. Alongside it sits the Bandol Rouge Restanques de Pibarnon, initially sourced from younger vines but now made from a blend of two separate terroirs and aged for 18 months. Both wines show the estate’s command of Mourvèdre, but it was a retrospective tasting of the Bandol Rouge from 2022 back to 2003 that most clearly underscored Pibarnon’s stature. All of the wines displayed the depth, authority and longevity of a leading Bandol estate, with the 2010 and 2019 standing out in particular.

Pibarnon’s flagship cuvée is a classic vin de garde which can take as many as ten years to begin to show all its glory.  Decant this now if you open it, which you should as it was freaking delicious!
 
Our Tasting Note
Unlike most Bandol rouge, you can drink this now, it might just be the cooler 2021 vintage, or it could be their approach these days, either way we loved it! The Pibarnon Bandol rouge 2021 was outstanding.  Despite 90% Mourvèdre in the blend, this wine was approachable and got even better with aeration.  It was a dark and brooding wine, full of dark red but fresh cherry, raspberry, and blackberries, violets, with hints of garrigue, roasted meat, and iron.  Med/med+ acidity, medium+ body, pronounced palate and a long, structured finish.  This wine is built to age and will only improve with time.

•    Certified organic
•    90% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache
•    250-300+ meters altitude
•    The highest elevation in Bandol
•    35+ year old vines
•    Southeast-facing natural amphitheater
•    Clay, limestone, and white chalk soils
•    De-stemmed
•    Indigenous yeast
•    Aged for 20 months in large older barrels
•    Unfined and unfiltered