Lying at the centre of the Bandol appellation, the family owned and run La Bastide Blanche was first established in 1972 in Le Castellet in the Var. Their sole focus is AOC Bandol and their sole ambition is to offer wines that express “the richness of this exceptional terroir”. Here the gentle sea breezes and the moderating effect of the Mistral temper the summer heat, endowing the fruit with sufficient acidity and pitch-perfect ripeness. Stéphane Bourret and his team have improved the estates wines’ quality beyond recognition. Despite the pressure of the many tourists ready to buy almost anything at any price, he has chosen a path of quality and hard work. The entire 28 hectares estate is run using biodynamic principles. Divided into individual plots, mostly on hillside terraces, the vines benefit from a mixed soil profile comprising stones, gravel, clay & limestone. The highly fractured subsoil allows for superb drainage, contributing to a natural control of yields, whilst also encouraging the production of fine, concentrated wines that are
particularly suitable for ageing. The results are astounding with many of their wines being awarded the highest accolades in both the national and international wine press. ‘Estagnol’ is produced from their best vineyards and improves after 3 or 4 years cellaring.

The Bandol Blanc combines aromatic complexity with appetising freshness. The malolactic fermentation is not systematically encouraged. The Rosé is produced by direct pressing, as well as a 24-hour ‘macération pélliculaire’. The reputation of the appellation is built upon the stature of the red wines, offering a haunting bouquet of liquorice, spice, tobacco and briary fruits. The firm tannic structure of its youth evolves beautifully with time in the bottle to reveal a palate of finely grained texture allied to measured power and marked persistence. The top cuvée, ‘Estagnol’ is fashioned from 30-year-old vines planted in La Bastide Blanche’s very best vineyard plots. The blend, typically, is made up of 80% Mourvèdre and 20% Grenache, which is then aged in 40hl oak barrels for up to 24 months. Benefiting from 3 or 4 years cellaring, it reveals a bouquet redolent of wild blackberries and further enhanced by the southern ‘garrigue’ influence hinting at rosemary and thyme characters. With time, more tertiary aromas of leather, tar and game
come to the fore. The palate is structured yet refined with a graphite/mineral edge, leading to a fine persistent finale.