Hecht et Bannier - Bandol 2010

A Bandol made for cellaring—powerful and full-bodied, austere for now. It will reveal its true character with age.

Grégory Hecht and François Bannier have breathed new life into the region, specializing from the very beginning—in 2002—in a high-quality, ambitious, and original wine merchant operation. Meticulously selecting their grapes from all around the Mediterranean, from Roussillon to Provence, they carefully vinify and age ambitious wines that often hit the mark. Each year, they visit several hundred estates to select only the finest grapes and the best musts, most often from hillside vineyards.

 

Very well-crafted and precise, the Bandol closely resembles the Faugères. It is aromatic and has refined tannins.

Grégory Hecht and François Bannier continue to run their wine trading and aging business, which specializes in wines from the Mediterranean region (Languedoc, Roussillon, and Provence), bringing a welcome breath of fresh air to a region lacking in initiatives of this kind. The selection is rigorous, featuring a precise and aromatic style that intelligently avoids the dominance of new oak. While we commend the work accomplished and the consistency of the most ambitious vintages—with Faugères and Saint-Chinian among the best in their respective appellations—the range also shows some weaknesses.