In the collective imagination, Bandol remains, above all, a land of red wines and Mourvèdre.
Yet long before the appellation’s iconic grape variety became the center of attention, the limestone hills overlooking the Mediterranean were already producing white wines whose character was defined by another grape variety: Clairette.
Château Val d’Arenc’s 2024 Bandol Blanc reflects this heritage.
Produced in Le Beausset by Gérald Damidot, this cuvée draws on a vineyard located entirely in the Réal Martin district, on north-facing plots. More than ninety percent of the vines are over forty-five years old, a detail that immediately sheds light on the desired style. Here, the wine’s maturity does not come from aggressive extraction or ostentatious aging, but from deep roots in calcareous marl soils.
The blend is worth noting.
Clairette makes up seventy-five percent of the blend. It is complemented by small proportions of Sauvignon Blanc, Rolle, and Ugni. In a region where Rolle often takes center stage, this blend offers a different take on Mediterranean white wine. Clairette brings a subtle structure, natural tension, and the ability to express the nuances of the terroir without seeking aromatic exuberance.
The work in the cellar follows this same principle of restraint.
After careful sorting, the grapes undergo a short maceration period of four to five hours. The estate uses only free-run juice, without pressing. This technical decision, rarely highlighted in marketing materials, aims to preserve the finesse of the most delicate juices. Fermentation then takes place at a low temperature—around 12 degrees—for four weeks, followed by six months of aging on fine lees in stainless steel tanks.
The decision not to use oak is as much a cultural choice as it is an oenological one. In many Mediterranean white wines, oak aging is used to add body and complexity. Château Val d’Arenc, on the other hand, chooses to focus the wine’s expression on the grape variety and the terroir.
Detail
- Name: Bandol Blanc 2024.
- Certification: ECOCERT Organic Farming.
- Soil: Réal Martin, north-facing.
- Soils: calcareous marl.
- Vines: Ninety percent of the vineyard is over forty-five years old.
- Blend: 75% Clairette, 10% Rolle, 10% Ugni, 5% Sauvignon Blanc.
- Fermentation: four weeks at about 12 degrees.
- Aging: six months on fine lees in stainless steel tanks.
- Production: 7,000 bottles.
The described flavor profile—notes of the sea, white flowers, citrus, and a briny edge—confirms this focus on verticality rather than richness. The wine seems built more around freshness than power, a balance often sought after in the great coastal terroirs of Provence.
Ultimately, the appeal of this vintage goes beyond the simple act of tasting. It serves as a reminder that a vineyard is not defined solely by its flagship grape variety. Wine regions also thrive thanks to more understated varieties, which are sometimes overshadowed by passing trends but are capable of telling a more ancient story of the region.
In this 2024 Bandol, Clairette once again takes on precisely that role—not as a grape variety of the past, but as a contemporary lens through which to view the Provençal landscape.
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