2025 Chateau Pradeaux - Bandol Rose (750ml)

Château Pradeaux has helped define the Bandol appellation since long before it officially existed, with the Portalis family holding the estate since before the French Revolution. Arlette Portalis, who settled at the property in 1939 after fleeing the Nazi occupation, went on to help establish Bandol as an appellation in 1941. Today her nephew Cyrille Portalis's sons represent the ninth generation to carry the family's devotion to Mourvèdre forward, on a property set directly on the Mediterranean coast between Toulon and Marseille.

The rosé draws primarily on old-vine Mourvèdre, some as old as eighty years, rounded out with Cinsault and a touch of Grenache. Fermentation happens spontaneously, and the wine ages on its fine lees almost entirely in large cement tanks rather than steel or oak, a method that builds structure and complexity rarely found in rosé. Farmed organically, the fruit is picked with restraint to preserve freshness even in a warm growing season.

The 2025 shows a deeper hue than typical summer rosé, opening with white peach, passion fruit, and red currant, framed by Pradeaux's characteristic silky texture and a long, savory finish. Medium-bodied with real drive and poise, it has the depth to develop further with a year or two in bottle. Serve it with grilled seafood, bouillabaisse, or roasted chicken.