BANDOL - The ruby in the Provence crown

If you thought Provence was only about rosés, you are wrong. Bandol, one of the more prestigious appellations of Provence, is renowned for its bold and structured red wines. Here's what Elizabeth Gabay MW has to say

- Elizabeth Gabay MW

Provence is rosé - at least that is what all the statistics tell you. With 90% of the combined production of the appellations, Côtes de Provence, Coteaux d'Aix and Coteaux Varois being pink, the red and white wines are barely noticed. However, Bandol AOP is regarded as the centre of Provence red production, although even there, over 70% of the production is rosé (produced mostly by the cooperatives) and only a fifth of all the wine made is red. Still, wine is not just statistics, it also includes the heart and soul of the winemaker, and most producers, especially those of Bandol, light up when you mention their red wines.

Located on the rolling hills behind the small Mediterranean port of Bandol, between the naval port city of Toulon and the massive commercial port of Marseille, the region has always had a ready market for its wines and oil. Italian sailors and engineers were pensioned off with small plots of lands where they terraced the hillsides with dry stone walls.

Wines sold through the port of Bandol had a big "B" branded on the ends of the barrels.

Today, Bandol is regarded as the French home of the variety Mourvèdre, but its history starts in Spain, where it is known as Monastrell. Legend has it that pilgrims returning from Santiago de Compostela brought vine cuttings as souvenirs. Landing at the port of St Gilles, in the Camargue region of the Rhône delta, their Monastrell vines were planted and did well. Known as le plant de St Gilles, its wines were a favourite at the papal court in Avignon in the 14th century.