DOMAINE TEMPIER - Cabassaou 2019
Domaine Tempier is located in Provence in the Bandol appellation. The domain was created in 1830 but was fully revealed under the influence of Léonie Tempier in 1885 when she won a Gold medal for her red wine made from Mourvèdre. Domaine Tempier suffered the phylloxera crisis at the beginning of the 20th century, and new grape varieties were planted. In 1941, Bandol became an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, one of its regulations being to produce wines with a minimum of 50% Mourvèdre, and an aging of 18 months in barrels for red wines. Today, the Domaine Tempier cultivates vines in sustainable agriculture in three communes and produces four wines.
The Cabassaou cuvée (ça cabasse = gives a hefty punch) is from a terroir with small stone walls, at the bottom of the Tourtine, protected from the Mistral wind. The vines benefit from a very warm micro-climate with thermal winds. Paradoxically the vines are located at the bottom of the hill but the soil is not deep and the yields are very small. It is made mainly from Mourvèdre (92 to 94%) with Syrah and a bit of Cinsault. The grapes are hand-selected in the vineyard and in the cellar; de-stemmed, crushed and put into concrete vats for 3 or 4 weeks to ferment with the indigenous yeasts. Ageing lasts 18 months in large oak vats.
Grape varieties: 92-94% Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault