Domaine Tempier Bandol Lulu & Lucien Rouge 2021

Domaine Tempier produces a small amount of single vineyards in order to reveal the quality of the terroirs and old settled down vines. Red, rosé or white wines, everyone will be seduced by these wines which have been created to be shared. Domaine Tempier has always been respectful and faithful to mother nature. The entire farming process is aligned to the rhythm of the seasons and the lunar calendar. This fidelity to the pioneering spirit is kept alive today both in the vineyards and in the cellar.

As far as soil treatment is concerned, home-made herbal teas are sprayed in homeopathic doses to strengthen the vines, regenerate the soils and control the development of parasites. Sulphur is used against powdery mildew and Bordeaux mix against late blight.
Worms, springtails, ladybirds, all kinds of insects …there is no doubt that the soils of the domain show a full range of biodiversity. At Domaine Tempier, the rootstocks are being chosen with great care to suit terroirs. Vine grafting is a hand-made grafting with massal selections in order to get more complex wines. Vine harvest is a crucial period. Grapes are manually picked and brought to the winery where the cellar master, and her team take over. Grapes are sorted with care one more time, then destemmed and crushed. After the wine vinification, here comes ageing time. In the underground maturing cellar, one can feel both a peaceful and mysterious atmosphere. Young and old barrels majestically rise out. The alchemy of wine is proceeding…before bottling which is entirely carried out at Domaine Tempier’s.

Lulu Peyraud was the joy of Domaine Tempier and unfortunately she passed away in 2020 at the age of 103 years old. To express their gratitude to Lulu & Lucien, the family has decided to rename their classic cuvee “Lulu & Lucien” starting with the 2020 vintage.

The 2021 Lulu & Lucien Rouge is comprised of 75% Mourvèdre, 14% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 2% Carignan. Clusters are hand-selected in the vineyard and in the cellar; de-stemmed, crushed and put into concrete vats for 3 to 4 weeks to ferment naturally with indigenous yeasts. Elevage is for 18 months in large old foudres. Showing excellent concentration while being fresh and youthful with a deep colour and a nose that takes you directly to the region. "Much like 1981 or 2013, 2021 has turned out a beautiful and classically styled Bandol rouge, full of finesse and grip". Full of garrigue herbaceousness, it’s elegantly fruited with blackberry, dark cherry and plum and a touch of bay leaf, thyme, black olive even truffle as it develops. The tannins are ripe but sleek and velvety. This fruity, well balanced wine can be enjoyed after 3 or 4 years, but develops extremely pleasant tertiary aromas with further ageing. The wine’s balance gives it an ageing potential of 15 years or more.

Much like 1981 or 2013, 2021 has turned out a beautiful and classically styled Bandol rouge, full of finesse and grip. Stony and dark-fruited, this is one to dig into now—after a brief decant—alongside slow-roasted lamb, venison, or a wild mushroom ragoût. - Tom Wolf, KermitLynch.com

Tasted from foudre, the Bandol Cuvee Classique had been blended the week before my visit. Already showing classic notes of tree bark and truffle layered against cherries and raspberries and a touch of olive, it looks relatively precocious. In the mouth, it's medium to full-bodied, concentrated and rich, with a long, plush finish. - Joe Czerwinski, RobertParker.com, 93 Points.

Nose - Brooding, Garrigue, Red Forest Berries
Autumnal and savoury characters including forest floor, thyme, cassis and piquant raspberry.

Palate - Generous, Fine Tannins, Persistent
Medium to full. Stony and dark fruited and concentrated. Benefits from a brief decant.

Finish - Delicate, Bright, Balanced
Finish rich, long and plush.

The Finer Details
Style - Red
Varietal - 75% Mourvèdre, 14% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 2% Carignan
Country - France
Region - Bandol
Vintage - 2021
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.5%