The Wine - For their Vin de Pierre, Bunan blended the region's traditional Mourvèdre with 50% Syrah and the result is delicious. The familiar Bandol nuances are supplemented with the typical lavender notes of Syrah. A well-endowed wine that promises to give pleasure now through 2020.
The Winery - The Bunan family, without resorting to fanfare or hyperbole, have quietly become the single largest producer in Bandol. This appellation is arguably one of the top regions in the South of France, and Bunan is among the region's top producers.
Unlike many in Bandol, Bunan has not drunk the same potion that led to the "new oak love affair". I describe the use of oak in winemaking as similar to that of salt in cooking - too little and the food is bland, too much and the food tastes of salt. But just the right amount leads to the ultimate experience - food that is neither bland nor noticeably salty.
Although Bunan is well-steeped in respect for their region's traditions, they maintain an openness to change, obtaining organic certification for their vineyards a decade ago, and more recently, bio-dynamic conversion and certification.
