Château de Pibarnon - Bandol 2017

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

The Château de Pibarnon is an 18th-century bastide, located 300 meters above sea level in a vast amphitheater facing the sea, on a hill where the old optical telegraph connecting Toulon to Paris once stood. From here, you can see the entire vineyard and even the villages of La Cadière and Le Castellet. It was this extraordinary view that made Henri and Catherine de Saint-Victor fall in love with the place nearly 30 years ago. The terroir, which is absolutely unique, could constitute an appellation in its own right, as the soil is very special, composed of a high proportion of Triassic limestone, a geological feature to which is added the presence of blue marl, which is also found in the terroirs of Petrus and Château d'Yquem. The 45-hectare estate, now skillfully managed by Éric de Saint-Victor, mainly produces red wines from the Mourvèdre grape variety.

Guide Hachette des vins

About wine:

A new Favorite Pibarnon, this Bandol is made from 90% Mourvèdre and 10% Grenache, aged for 18 to 20 months in barrels. A beautiful ruby color, a complex and intense nose, vegetal, woody, fruity (black fruits, bitter orange), spicy (coriander, pepper) : this is a most engaging introduction. The rest does not disappoint: the palate, typical of its terroir, delights with its volume, density, and tannins that are present but remarkably silky, with a long finish and subtle cocoa notes. A very fine representative of the appellation, with a strong character as it should be.

About the estate:

The Saint-Victor family (now Éric) settled in Bandol in 1978, where they farm their land using non-certified organic methods. After extensive expansion work, the property now comprises 50 hectares of vineyards terraced at an altitude of 300 meters, forming a south-east facing amphitheater. An essential reference for the Bandol appellation.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

This superb Bandol shows great promise, with a dense, velvety texture and perfect definition, suggesting it will age well for over twenty years. In this dry vintage, the 2017 manages to maintain remarkable harmony and freshness.

About the estate:

Henri de Saint-Victor created Château de Pibarnon in 1978 and, within a few decades, established it as one of Bandol's iconic estates (alongside Tempier and Pradeaux). His son Éric has been at the helm of the estate since 2000 and cultivates 50 hectares of vines (45 hectares of red and 5 hectares of white) on the limestone terroirs of La Cadière-d'Azur. He produces two reds: the Château (90% Mourvèdre and 10% Grenache), which is suitable for aging, and Les Restanques, which is more accessible when young and comes from young vines with only 70% Mourvèdre and 30% Grenache. Despite some irregularities during the 2000s, the reds, which are good representatives of Bandol wines and their aging potential, have been back to their best since 2010. It must be said that by selecting plots in the heart of his terroir, Eric de Saint-Victor has restored flesh and body to the reds in recent vintages, giving them a silky, concentrated character with a highly civilized balance between wood and fruit expression.