Tempier Bandol Rouge Half 2016

When Lucie ‘Lulu’ Tempier married Lucien Peyraud in 1936, her father gifted them Domaine Tempier, which probably goes down as one of the best wedding presents in history.

Breathing new life into her family's ancient vineyards, the couple were instrumental in establishing Tempier’s reds as some of the quintessential expressions of Mourvèdre as well as the appellation of Bandol itself.

An accomplished cook, Lulu was also responsible for introducing the delights of Provençal cooking to the US via her friends and apprentices – namely food writer Richard Olney and chef Alice Waters of Chez Panisse. Lulu (who died in 2020 at the age of 102) attributed her long life to 50 swings a day on her garden swing. A good lesson for us all.

After a decade in bottle, the domaine’s reds begin to shed their puppy fat, the tannins softening and the dense berry fruit and floral notes gaining complex garrigue and animale nuances. With barbecued roast lamb or ratatouille, this is the stuff. Drink to 2040+.