About this WINE
Domaine Tempier
If a naturally benevolent backdrop and a sense of history are anything to go by, as indeed they should be, then Domaine Tempier is well positioned as the leading Estate in the famous Mediterranean wine appellation of Bandol.
38 hectares of vines bask in a privileged amphitheatre, their maritime environment contributing to the unique climate first recognised by the Phoenicians as ideal for the cultivation of the grape. The pater familias figure of Lucien Peyraud has guided the property to its current pre-eminence, at the same time forging the precise laws of the AOC, which afford the wines so much personality and potential to age.
The leitmotif running through it all is the modish Mourvèdre grape, famously temperamental and inclined to perform only when its feet can paddle in the Mediterranean and its head can turn, in full heliotropic glory, to the sun.
The steep terraces, thankfully not claimed by the ever-expanding urbanisation, are ideal for these long-lived, rich and savoury wines, now in the capable hands of the régisseur Daniel Ravier. From the spectacular rosé, through to the four celebrated red cuvées, these are outstanding vins de garde. When I first visited I was a little early greeted by the charming widow, Madame Peyraud. She offered me a glass of rosé as we waited for Daniel and described with animation some of her favourite recipes, herself draining a rather large glass of Cuvée Classique in the process. It was only afterwards, to my astonishment, that I discovered that she was 95 years old.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon lends itself particularly well in blends with Merlot. This is actually the archetypal Bordeaux blend, though in different proportions in the sub-regions and sometimes topped up with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
In the Médoc and Graves the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend can range from 95% (Mouton-Rothschild) to as low as 40%. It is particularly suited to the dry, warm, free- draining, gravel-rich soils and is responsible for the redolent cassis characteristics as well as the depth of colour, tannic structure and pronounced acidity of Médoc wines. However 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be slightly hollow-tasting in the middle palate and Merlot with its generous, fleshy fruit flavours acts as a perfect foil by filling in this cavity.
In St-Emilion and Pomerol, the blends are Merlot dominated as Cabernet Sauvignon can struggle to ripen there - when it is included, it adds structure and body to the wine. Sassicaia is the most famous Bordeaux blend in Italy and has spawned many imitations, whereby the blend is now firmly established in the New World and particularly in California and Australia.
Buying options
Add to wishlist
wine at a glance
Delivery and quality guarantee