Wine Advocate 91 Points
"A coppery hued blend of 40% Mourvèdre and 30% each Cinsault and Grenache, the 2017 Bandol Rose features scents of crushed stone and lime zest on the nose. On the palate, it's medium-bodied and round yet refreshing, with cool citrus and peach notes lingering on the finish."
Decanter 90 Points, Silver Award
"Complex aromas of dried flowers and apricot. Inviting and well balanced fruit extract. delicious and good full flavored long finish."
Producer: Domaine Ray-Jane
Wine: 2017 Bandol Rosé
Varietals: 40% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Cinsault
Food: Grilled salmon, summer salads, sashimi and sushi.
Cellaring: Drink now or hold
DOMAINE RAY-JANE
Le Castellet - Bandol (Provence)
Jane and Alain Constant own Domaine Ray-Jane which has been in their families since 1288. The vineyards spread over 64 acres in the terroirs of Le Castellet and La Cadiere. The newly upgraded cellar is equipped with the latest technology - thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks for maceration of all 3 wines, automatic system for pumping over the red Bandol.
Alain’s father Raymond had a passion for all things used for winemaking (tools for vineyard management, barrel-making and winemaking) and a small museum lies on the property where a unique collection of over 20,000 tools is displayed.
Domaine Ray-Jane is certified organic. A third of the vines are 100 years old and planted on Restanques (terraces made of stones carved into the hills to prevent erosion and facilitate the natural distribution of water resources). The work in the vineyard is done without motorized tools (ploughing is done with horses and hoe). Harvest is manual.
The Bandol appellation was created in 1941 and is located in the Provence region west of Toulon. The appellation covers around 3,830 acres of vineyards in 8 communes of the Var department: Bandol, Le Beausset, Le Castellet, La Cadière d’Azur, Saint Cyr-sur-mer, Sainte-Anne d’Evenos and Sanary-sur-mer and Ollioules.
From the Massif of Sainte-Baume down to the shore of the Mediterranean, the vines are an integral part of the landscape and its presence makes itself felt everywhere.
Information by Vins de Bandol
The Bandol terroir faces due south to the sea and benefits from nearly 3,000 hours of sun exposure a year. At its feet, the Mediterranean sea protects the vineyard from extreme temperatures while on higher altitude, the pine and oak forests covering the hills block the cold northerly winds. In the shelter of this natural amphitheater, dotted with olive and almond trees, the vineyards enjoy a micro-climate where sea and in-land breezes provide just the right balance of aeration and rain. The Mistral wind ensures a perfectly healthy climate is maintained, even after heavy rains.
The soils in the appellation area are mainly limestone and very pebbly with sandy marls and sandstones in places. They are as diverse as could be expected in such an uneven landscape. The action of natural erosion on the bedrocks of the upper cretaceous age (calcareous sandstones and sandy marls) resulted in sandstone soils enriched in silico-calcareous elements. Those are the most typical soils of the Bandol appellation. In some places the soils are of Jurassic or even Triassic age and consist of red or white limestone, clay and marl or sand. The main characteristic of the Bandol appellation is the stone-like aridity and low fertility of well-drained, highly calcareous soils.