Bandol: Domaine de la Garenne Red

A vast area in south-eastern France, stretching from Arles to Nice and from the Luberon to the Alpes-Maritimes in the foothills of the Alps. Its wines are shaped by the warm Mediterranean climate and the famous 'mistral' wind, which plays an integral part in keeping the vineyards healthy. Provence produces red, white, and rosé, but is above all celebrated for its pale, dry, and elegant rosés, which are in high demand worldwide. With an extraordinary contrast of styles and a growing reputation for quality, the region has a promising future.

Among Provence's most prestigious appellations, a coastal region east of Marseille where vines have been grown since the 6th century BC. It is above all the kingdom of Mourvèdre - the "king grape" of Bandol - which must form between 50 and 95% of its celebrated reds, blended with Grenache, Cinsault, and a little Syrah or Carignan. Grown on limestone, sandy marl, and sandstone soils in a natural sun-trap sheltered by the surrounding mountains, and harvested by hand as the appellation requires, these reds are powerful, structured, and famously age-worthy, showing dark fruit, herbs, leather, and spice. Bandol also produces fresh, aromatic whites and highly regarded dry rosés.