Yes, you read that right—Provence doesn’t just make rosé. It also produces white wines that can outshine even its most famous rose wines. Scandalous or true? Definitely the latter—especially when we’re talking about the legendary Bandol Blanc 2023 from Domaine Tempier, a white wine that has carved out its own legacy and continues to captivate both wine lovers and critics. Just to give you an idea, the 2023 vintage scored 93 points from Parker!
Domaine Tempier is one of the most historic and iconic estates in Provence, with roots going back to the 19th century. It all began in 1834, when Tempier family built their traditional farmhouse on their estate in Bandol. In 1880, after the devastating phylloxera epidemic wiped out most of the vineyards, Léonie Tempier (great-grandmother of Lucie “Lulu” Peyraud) began the estate’s revival, replanting vines and building a new cellar with wooden and concrete vats. Sadly, due to financial hardship in 1929, many of the vines were replaced with peach trees—but not for long.
In 1936, Lucie “Lulu” Tempier married Lucien Peyraud, a passionate young man with dreams of becoming a winemaker. The estate was given to them as a wedding gift (now that’s a gift!). Together, they took over in 1940 and dedicated their lives to the estate and to reviving Mourvèdre, the backbone grape of Bandol’s reds and rosés. Lucien became the “spiritual father” of Bandol and worked tirelessly to elevate the region’s wines to the same level of prestige as Bordeaux and Burgundy. The estate’s first bottled wine? A rosé, of course—released in 1943.
But Bandol isn’t just about rosé. Bandol Blanc 2023 Domaine Tempier is a rare and exceptional white wine that expresses the elegance and freshness of Provence in a completely unique way. The blend includes Clairette (60%), Ugni Blanc (30%), and Rolle (Vermentino), Bourboulenc, and Marsanne (10%), all from 25–30-year-old biodynamically farmed vines. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and large oak tuns, then aged for 10 months before bottling. The result is creamy, rich, yet incredibly refined.
Pair it with complex seafood dishes and experience t
