2025 Gros Nore - Bandol Rose (750ml)
Domaine du Gros 'Noré takes its name from Alain Pascal's father, Honoré, a man of imposing stature who first taught him the discipline of vine work. Alain now farms roughly seventeen hectares on the sun-drenched hillsides above La Cadière d'Azur in Bandol, a village perched a few kilometers from the Mediterranean. He built his reputation on rigorous hand sorting at harvest, personally inspecting each cluster before it reaches the cellar, a habit that earned him a television profile on French national news and helped establish the estate among Bandol's most respected producers.
The rosé is built from a blend of roughly forty percent Mourvèdre, forty percent Cinsault, and twenty percent Grenache, grown on limestone and clay slopes tempered by warm Mediterranean sun and the cooling Mistral wind. Grenache and Cinsault are hand harvested early in the season and given a brief skin maceration, then blended with Mourvèdre for structure, the same grape responsible for the power behind Bandol's reds. The finished wine is aged in stainless steel to preserve its freshness and varietal purity.
The 2025 shows a pale color with a nose of citrus, white peach, and lavender, layered with savory garrigue notes typical of the terroir. The palate is dense yet lifted, with real cut and mineral focus built for extended cellaring. It pairs well with grilled fish, herb roasted chicken, or briny shellfish.