Cellar Favourite: 2012 Domaine Tempier Bandol Cuvée Classique

BY NEAL MARTIN | MAY 5, 2025

Most beautiful region in France? The one I would most like to return to? Bandol. It’s a gem of a wine region with a treasure trove of great wines and producers. The most renowned of all is Domaine Tempier, which has been under the directorship of Daniel Ravier since 2000. During a recent dinner at Lorne, one of my favourite restaurants in London, I spotted a bottle of 2012 Bandol Cuvée Classique on the single-bottle selection at the back of their wine list. It was a no-brainer.

This cuvée is a blend of parcels on limestone and sandy marl soils, comprising three-quarters Mourvèdre, the remainder Grenache and Cinsault with a seasoning of Syrah and Carignan. It was fermented in concrete tanks and aged for a minimum of 18 months in large old oak casks. Quite deep in hue, it has a quintessential Bandol bouquet: mulberry, wild heather and a scintilla of old medicine cabinet, one that hasn’t been opened for a couple of years. Later, there are hints of sloe, pain d’épices and hung game. The palate is beautifully balanced, with real depth and roundness, the acidity keeping it on its toes. Again, there is a very subtle medicinal touch that gives away Mourvèdre. This fans out in assured fashion towards the savoury finish, its underlying sapidity asking you, “More?” This is a pertinent reminder of great Bandol, and given that the 2012 is already 13 years old, I can see it motoring along nicely for another two decades. 92/Drink 2025-2045.

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