Château Barthès Bandol Rouge / 2021 / 375mL

Description:

The Château Barthès Bandol Rouge 2021 is a firm, savoury Mourvèdre-led red from Bandol in Provence, built on dark fruit and a dry, earthy edge rather than plushness. In a 375mL half bottle it makes a serious red a two-glass proposition on a weeknight.

Aromas run to blackberry, black olive and dried thyme, with a scent of warm stone and a faint gamey note behind the fruit. The palate is dry and gently brooding, damson and blood plum sitting against garrigue herbs and a lick of black pepper.

Tannins are fine but insistent, the sort that grip the back of the palate and hold, while acidity keeps the middle bright and stops the wine turning heavy. The finish is long, dusty and more savoury than sweet.

Lamb is the natural match, whether roasted with rosemary or slow-cooked with olives and orange. A half bottle also suits smaller meals where a full 750mL would be too much: a steak for one, a plate of charcuterie and hard cheese, or a bowl of ragù on a cold night.

Drink this Bandol rouge from now to around 2030. Worth remembering that a 375mL matures faster than the equivalent full bottle, so the half is the format to open while your 750s of the 2021 are still coming together.