34 Bandol Rouge AC 2005 Cuvée les Lauves
Domaine la Suffrène

Grape:95% Mourvèdre, 5% Carignan (13.5% alc.)

This wine comes from a selection of the oldest vines – all over 50 years, and was aged like the above cuvée in old oak foudres until bottling in May 2007. It has a deeper colour again, a sensational nose with leathery notes, and is well-structured on the palate, with fine, ripe tannins. For drinking now to 2016+.

Technical Information
Winemaker:	Cédric Gravier
Location:	La Cadière d’Azur
Size of domaine:	45 hectares (38 under vine)
Grape:	95% Mourvèdre, 5% Carignan. All 55 years+
Terroir:	Deep ‘terra rossa’ soil with a limestone base (iron-rich). From the highest vineyards in Bandol 6k to north of La Cadière – approx 300 mtrs above sea level.
Viticulture:	Gobelet formation. Plough 5/6 times a year. Vendanges en verts. Hand harvest. 36 hl/hectare. Harvest end of September. Organic (animal) fertiliser added once a year after harvest.
Vinification:	Usually destalk but in good vintages leave 20-25% of stalks. Table de trie then grapes lifted into vats to aovid pumping. Cuve fermented. Remontage twice a day (with open top at beginning, middle, but not end). Delestage sometimes at end. 20-25 day cuvaison. Assembled and transferred to foudres where malos take place. Bottled after minimum 18 months in foudre. 5/6 rackings during elevage. Bottled without fining or filtration at end of June.
Press:

 

qty (bottles)

exc vat: £16.38