Have you heard of the cosmic calendar? It helps visualize the chronology of the universe and, more specifically, just how new to it we humans are. On that calendar, January 1 marks the Big Bang, and December 31, midnight, represents this very moment. Using that chronology, humans first appear on December 31, at 11:52 pm, with our entire history occurring in that eight-minute blip. If we took a similar approach to visualize a more lighthearted and tasty subject, such as Bandol, a cosmic calendar spanning 2.6 millennia would show Bandol rosé as that little blip arriving just before midnight, making quite a commotion in such little time! For just about forever, however, Bandol was rouge and only rouge. The ancient Greek settlers initially made it, the Romans later poured it into their amphorae, and the French filled their barrels and frigates with it to ship around the world. It’s the reason Bandol’s moniker long ago became “the crown jewel of Provence.”
     While rosé makes up about half of Tempier’s production (a much lower percentage than most in the region), its soul lies in its red cuvées. These parcels are the most fussed over, and the wines are the most tasted, debated, and discussed. The reds show exuberance and finesse in their youth, evolving into absolute show stealers as they mature.
     In a massive vertical tasting of the last fifty vintages of La Migoua recently organized at the domaine for French journalists, the 2021, 2006, and 1979 vintages were awarded best in show, proving that young and old can be equally impressive. Our stocks of Tempier rouge were recently replenished with the arrival of the 2024 vintage, allowing an opportunity to dive deep into the soul of Domaine Tempier, and a chance to taste the wines in their youth and set aside a few bottles to age.