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2016 Bandol Rouge

Domaine de Terrebrune
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Terrebrune vigneron Reynald Delille seems to be a quiet, reserved man, but a twinkle in his eye appears as soon as he begins pouring samples of his Bandols. Upon seeing his guests’ excitement when tasting his wines, he suddenly becomes eager to provide an in depth explanation of why the wines taste the way they do. This explanation is rooted in terroir, as Terrebrune benefits from geographical and geological features that make it unique in the Bandol appellation. The vineyards lie directly in the path of marine breezes that sweep off the Mediterranean, providing his wines with a mouthwatering saline quality. Additionally, the fissured limestone from the Trias era allows vine roots to probe deep for freshness—crucial in the dry Provençal summers. Extreme precision in farming and vinification make Terrebrune special as well. This chewy, gamey Bandol suggests Reynald is onto something—here is a full-bodied dose of Terrebrune terroir you can enjoy over the next thirty years.

Anthony Lynch

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Technical Information
Wine Type: red
Vintage: 2016
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: 85% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, 5% Cinsault
Appellation: Bandol
Country: France
Region: Provence
Producer: Domaine de Terrebrune
Winemaker: Reynald Delille
Vineyard: 20 years average
Soil: Limestone pebbles in brown clay, blue limestone bedrock, marl
Aging: Wine ages in oak foudres for 18 months
Farming: Organic (certified)
Alcohol: 14.4%

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About The Region

Provence

map of Provence

There is perhaps no region more closely aligned with the history of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant than Provence. While Kermit began his career as a Burgundy specialist, he soon fell in love with Provence and its wines, notably the legendary Bandols of Domaine Tempier, which he began importing in 1977. He later began living in the area part-time, returning frequently between tasting trips, and today he spends most of his time at his home just outside of Bandol.

Provence is thought to be France’s most ancient wine region, established when Greek settlers landed in the modern-day port city of Marseille in the 6th century BC. The conditions here are ideal for cultivation of the grapevine, with a hot, dry climate and a prevalence of poor, rocky soils, primarily limestone-based, suitable for vines and not much else. The ever-present southern sunshine as well as the mistral, a cold, drying wind from the northwest that helps keep the vines free of disease, are crucial elements of Provençal terroir. Wild herbs from the pervasive scrubland, called garrigue, and cooling saline breezes from the Mediterranean also contribute to the quality and character of wines in all three colors.

Provence is well known for its rosés, but red wines have always held importance here. The very best, such as those from Bandol, possess great depth and a capacity for long-term aging. The white wines, notably those of Cassis, offer weight balanced by a maritime freshness, making them ideal pairings for the local seafood. Mourvèdre reigns king for red grapes, supported mainly by Grenache and Cinsault, while Clairette, Marsanne, Rolle, and Ugni Blanc are the region’s principal white grapes.

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Where the newsletter started

Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch

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