2011 Bandol Tourtine

85% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, 5% Cinsault. Deep crimson. Rich, dark and alluring in its ripe but not overripe fruit. Smells polished and spicy at first and opens up to a more wild elderberry tang. Then very different on the palate, still with that lively freshness but much more savoury and almost tarry, almost bitter, with some black damson fruit. Incredibly concentrated and long. (JH)

Larger scaled and more textured and ripe, the 2011 Bandol La Tourtine is always a rough blend of 80% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache and 10% Cinsault. Possibly the wine of the vintage, it offers up blockbuster notes of black raspberry, currants, licorice and ground Provencal herbs to go with a medium to full-bodied, layered feel on the palate. Made in a forward, delicious (if not hedonistic) style, with loads of texture and a big finish, it too can be enjoyed anytime over the coming 15 years or more. Feb 2014, www.robertparker.com