1998 was hailed as a great vintage in the South of France but lately there have been a number of voices questioning whether it has lived up to its promise. Here are two which I opened during the long Easter weekend.
Bandol 1998- Château de Pibarnon – Alc. 13% - estate’s red varieties 90% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache .
The Pibarnon Importer here advised me to drink this up so I approached it as a pairing for Easter lamb with some trepidation. In the event it still had plenty of life. Indeed at first it gave a slightly closed impression with the attractive aromas of subdued red and dark fruit, tar, Provençal herbs and leather seeming reticent. Body was quite full, tactile feel was smooth, acidity sufficient, shape was harmonious, linear and quite long and structure fine with the aromas blossoming as the bottle emptied and the wine became slightly warmer. Like all Pibarnon, this one was elegant but with perhaps a supplement of depth and complexity compared with other vintages which have come my way. I still haven’t been bowled over by Pibarnon unlike Tempier but very good 16.5/20++.
Vin de Pays des Gorges de l’Hérault “Les Plôs de Baumes” 1998 – Domaine d’Aupilhac – Alc. 14% - made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Franc and Merlot vines in Aniane with very low yields (c.20hl/ha).
I tasted this wine about 8 years ago when it was massive, tannic and shut tight. It has now opened for business. Colour is a deep and opaque ruby with little bricking and the wine is still massive but now welcoming with lively acidity and expressive dark fruit with a lot of plum, earth, wet leather and Southern herbs. Firm but ripe and gently bitter tannins gave firm support to the finish. This wine tastes Languedocien not Bordelais and, indeed, I would be tempted to assert that there must be Mourvèdre in the blend if I did not have information to the contrary; 16.5/20+.
Unfortunately the estate’s website no longer mentions this wine and my reference books indicate the presence of many less Bordeaux varieties than before, so it looks as if it is no longer made.