Château de Pibarnon 2021

Characteristics and tasting advice for Château de Pibarnon 2021

Tasting

Color

Remarkably deep, the red hue displays elegant carmine highlights.

Nose

The nose reveals lovely aromatic complexity with notes of black licorice, Provençal garrigue, and bay leaf. Aromas of antique roses and blackberry jelly intertwine with subtle touches of sandalwood, creating a noble, refined bouquet.

Palate

On the palate, the wine charms with its freshness and liveliness. The texture is both juicy and sleek, showing fine aromatic precision. The fine, elegant tannins integrate seamlessly into the structure, while a saline minerality brings tension and depth. The finish stands out for its remarkable length and persistent mineral character.

Food and wine pairings

This Château de Pibarnon 2021 is an ideal match for grilled or roasted red meats, especially lamb with Herbs de Provence. It also pairs beautifully with roast duck, feathered game, and characterful cheeses such as Roquefort or aged goat cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

Château de Pibarnon 2021 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. A short aeration of one hour allows the wine to fully express its aromatic range. Drink from around 2027 to 2034, with cellaring potential that can extend to fifteen years or more.

A benchmark Bandol combining power and mineral elegance

The estate

In 1978, Henri and Catherine de Saint Victor quite literally fell in love with Pibarnon and decided to settle in this limestone-rich, arid Provence. Henri de Saint Victor left his job in a laboratory behind and learned, day after day, how to manage the vineyard and oversee vinification, while gradually expanding the estate’s vineyard area.

Eric de Saint Victor joined his parents at Château de Pibarnon in 1989, before taking over its management in 2000.

Covering 50 hectares, the Château de Pibarnon vineyard produces great Bandol wines that have been awarded on numerous occasions, renowned for their great finesse and significant aging potential.

The vineyard

The Château de Pibarnon vineyard enjoys an exceptional location in the Bandol appellation, perched at 300 meters above sea level facing the Mediterranean. The vines thrive on highly limestone-rich Triassic soils of remarkable geological age, enriched with blue marl and fossils. This natural amphitheater configuration, oriented southeast, protects the plots from the mistral while encouraging slow, gradual grape ripening. The estate farms its vines according to organic principles, certified since 2019, and is progressively incorporating biodynamic practices. Yields are deliberately limited to around 29 hectoliters per hectare to favor concentration and the expression of the terroir.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage was marked by a harsh winter with frost episodes affecting many French vineyards. A milder spring allowed flowering at the end of May, followed by particularly rainy months of June and July. Weather instability was observed from mid-July to mid-August, before more favorable conditions enabled optimal grape ripening during the harvest.

Winemaking and aging

The Château de Pibarnon 2021 harvest is carried out by hand with rigorous bunch selection. The grapes are vinified as whole clusters to promote gentle, controlled tannin extraction. Maceration lasts around three weeks with regular punch-downs. Aging then takes place for 18 to 20 months in French oak foudres, allowing slow maturation and harmonious oak integration without masking the expression of fruit and terroir.

Grape variety

Mostly Mourvèdre, complemented by other traditional grape varieties from the Bandol appellation.