Bastide Blanche, one of the few organic domains in Bandol, produces this beatiful wine from old vines of 92% Mourvedre and 8% Grenache. The wine is hand-harvested in multiple passes, with very low yields, fermented with wild yeasts and aged in old foudres. File under under curiosity or perhaps, sometimes you just need a duck wine. Depending on one’s whims, one plans their meals around a particular wine or perhaps in a more balanced life, one plans their wines around a meal (dear reader, I am probably more inclined to the former truth be told). But in this case I had a lovely bunch of baby Japanese turnips and a fine breast of Rohan Duck, so the the meal drove the bus, so to speak. The 2015 Bastide Blanche Estagnol is just the thing. With a substantial decant, it has all the dark floral aromatics, ground Telicherry peppercorn, blackberry fruit, and yes, a hint of game on the nose. The palate is tightly wound and just this side of severe on opening but with two hours in the decanter, the pure, sweet, plummy fruit emerges with loads of charm, ripeness, and dry extract to buffer the substantial structure beneath. And while the solar 2015 vintage can result in wine that show more power than grace, here it seems like there is there is real poise and potential. This shows ripeness, but no sense of heat or flab. Plenty of black fruits and dusty tannins and sure, oodles of garrigue. But there’s real flair and harmony and each sip has me wondering what a mature bottle will taste like. Excellent with duck and turnips, but I'd love to pair this with lamb and tapenade, or once summer is in full stride, ratatouille. John McIlwain