“The 2011 Bandol Les Restanques de Pibarnon demonstrates just how elegant and pure wines from this region can be. Blackberry, spices, and notes of crushed flowers are all present in this medium-bodied, refined, and superbly balanced 2011, with fine tannins and a long finish. It will impress for the next 7 to 10 years. ” (Wine Advocate - Robert Parker)
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Eye
ruby color with garnet highlights
Nose
It stands out with its explosive, distinctive fruit notes—dark, spicy, and elegant
Palate
You could call it athletic, but not overly muscular, because the terroir where it’s grown gives it a lovely suppleness and a certain freshness that allow it to be enjoyed right away
Serve
decant at 17°C
Open
1 hour ago
Drink from
2014
Drink before
2019
Food and wine pairings
Enjoy it with veal sweetbreads, veal tenderloin, a rack of lamb, braised pork...
Bettane & Desseauve
Wine rated (2015 guide) 15,5/20 (Very good wine)
Rated estate (2016 guide): 4* Stars (Producers of the very highest quality, the pride of French viticulture)
About the wine:
Slightly briny, with a hint of blood, delicate, and complex—this is an elegant Bandol.
About the estate:
The Château de Pibarnon is an 18th-century country house, situated at an altitude of 300 meters in a vast amphitheater facing the sea, on a hill where the old optical telegraph line connecting Toulon to Paris once stood. From here, one overlooks the entire vineyard and even the villages of La Cadière and Le Castellet. It was this extraordinary view that Henri and Catherine de Saint-Victor fell in love with nearly 30 years ago. The terroir, absolutely unique, could constitute an appellation in its own right, as the soil is highly distinctive, composed of a high proportion of Triassic limestone—a geological feature complemented by the presence of blue marl, which is also found in the terroirs of Petrus and Château d’Yquem. The 45-hectare estate, now skillfully managed by Éric de Saint-Victor, primarily produces red wines made from the Mourvèdre grape variety.
Guide Hachette des vins
Rated estate (2016 guide) Award-winning wines (This producer’s wines regularly receive awards from the guide)
About the estate:
The de Saint-Victor family (now Éric) first settled on these Bandol vineyards in 1978, cultivating them using non-certified organic methods. Following extensive expansion work, the estate now comprises 50 hectares of vineyards terraced in restanques at an altitude of 300 meters, forming a south-east-facing cirque. An essential reference within the Bandol appellation.
Guide des Vins Gault & Millau
Wine rated 15.5/20 (Very Good)
About the wine:
Flesh, fruit, substance—the flavors seem to be steeped in brandy, the water of happiness—but for now, the second wine is more reserved than its big brother; change is on the horizon.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Wine rated (2014 guide) 91/100 (Excellent wine)
Estate rated "Recommended" (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
About the wine:
The 2011 Bandol Les Restanques de Pibarnon demonstrates just how elegant and pure wines from this region can be. Blackberry, spices, and notes of crushed flowers are all present in this medium-bodied, refined, and superbly balanced 2011, with fine tannins and a long finish. It will continue to impress for the next 7 to 10 years.
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Rated estate (2016 guide) 1*Star (Up-and-coming stars or quality winemakers producing wines of a high standard—you won’t be disappointed when you taste the wines from these estates)
About the estate:
Henri de Saint-Victor founded Château de Pibarnon in 1978 and, within a few decades, established it as one of Bandol’s most iconic estates (alongside Tempier and Pradeaux). His son Éric has been at the helm of the estate since 2000 and cultivates 50 hectares of vineyards (45 hectares of red and 5 hectares of white) on the limestone terroirs of La Cadière-d’Azur. He produces two reds: the Château (90% Mourvèdre and 10% Grenache), built for aging, and Les Restanques, which is more approachable when young, made from young vines with only 70% Mourvèdre and 30% Grenache. Despite some inconsistencies during the 2000s, the reds—which serve as fine ambassadors for Bandol wines and their aging potential—have returned to their best form since 2010. It must be said that by selecting plots at the heart of his terroir, Eric de Saint-Victor has, in recent vintages, restored body and fullness to reds with a silky, concentrated character, featuring a highly refined balance between oak and fruit expression.