Terrebrune Bandol Rouge 2014

Description

Vine Age: 15 years average. Organic viticulture with absolutely no chemical herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers, soil is worked regularly by plow and hand-hoes, buds are trimmed and a green harvest is practice to purposefully limit yields; the average yield is between 35-38 hl/ha, all grapes are harvested by hand, and selection takes place in the vineyards instead of on asorting table, grapes are de-stemmed and then pressed gently by pneumatic press. Only indigenous yeasts are used, wines ferment in underground, temperature-controlled, gravity-fed cuves, all wines are unfined and unfiltered. Fermentation lasts for 15-21 days in closed cuve, maceration by pump-over, wine ages in oak foudres for 18 months, aging potential: 30 years. Terrebrune vigneron Reynald Delille seems to be a quiet, reserved man, but a twinkle in his eye appears as soon as he begins pouring samples of his Bandols. Upon seeing his guests’ excitement when tasting his wines, he suddenly becomes eager to provide an in depth explanation of why the wines taste the way they do. This explanation is rooted in terroir, as Terrebrune benefits from geographical and geological features that make it unique in the Bandol appellation. The vineyards lie directly in the path of marine breezes that sweep off the Mediterranean, providing his wines with a mouthwatering saline quality. Additionally, the fissured limestone from the Trias era allows vine roots to probe deep for freshness—crucial in the dry Provençal summers. Extreme precision in farming and vinification make Terrebrune special as well. This chewy, gamey Bandol suggests Reynald is onto something— here is a full-bodied dose of Terrebrune terroir you can enjoy over the next thirty years. – Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant It arrives at a beautiful harmony, its tannic structure melts to express a great complexity. The aromas of cooked red and black fruits mingle with notes of undergrowth and humus. -Winery