My better half loves Bandol rouge so to show my support during her pregnancy I didn’t touch any of the bottles in our cellar. Of course it was one of the first things to reach for now that she’s able to enjoy wine again. This is another stellar vintage of Terrebrune which obviously belongs to the appellation’s elite. Age 12 is not the ideal time to pop the cork but somehow Terrebrune always seems to deliver - while not at its most expressive it was certainly not badly muted.
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2011 Domaine de Terrebrune Bandol Terroir du Trias - France, Provence, Bandol (24.11.2023)
Pretty restrained on the nose with ideally ripe blackberry and red cherry driven fruit, wet leaves, garrigue, leather and spice. Has a wildness to it, but nothing animalistic really. On the palate it is full-bodied with an excellently firm and tight mouthfeel and a great tannic structure. It is thorougly savory with ideally ripe, dry dark fruit. Definitely not revealing everything at this moment, it is ever so slightly grumpy but that is to be expected given its age. There is chewiness to it, muscular if you will. While the structure is pretty formidable and becoming more prominent by the minute, there is enough fruit that I can see only positive things moving forward. Despite fitting a classic Bandol stereotype almost perfectly I do sense something elegant in it as well - it is not a senseless brute. The finish is admirably long with appropriate tannic grip. Had I more bottles I would probably wait for five years before opening the next one, however it might take even longer to fully peak.
Posted from CellarTracker