Pradeaux

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Last night I grilled a rib eye and opened a 2007 Pradeaux Bandol "Longue Garde". My understanding is that this is analogous to the old "Vielles Vignes" bottling, that is, it is all mourvèdre from the oldest vines on the estate. I decanted it about 90 minutes before I started drinking it.

It's been a while since I've had this wine and I had a blast with it. I'd forgotten how intense and imposing the structure could be. It wasn't the same mouthful of sand that the 1989 and 1990 old vines bottling was at this stage, but it was dense and savory and most of all, intense. That is the best word I can come up with for my interaction with the wine. Leather, minerals, some floral (lavender) lift and a core of red and darker fruits. Yeah, it's infanticide or whatever, but it was really fun and I'm so used to drinking much more civilized wines that I really enjoyed the ride. I have half the bottle left, we'll see where it goes. I'm definitely going to start laying some of this wine down again, i wish I had never stopped.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Had a '99 Tempier recently that made me sad I haven't been keeping more Bandol.
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I've always had a pretty strong preference for Pradeaux, but have the same general sentiment. Rectifying it though. Luckily for you, Tempier shows up a lot more on the secondary market.
 
I always regret not owning more Tempier, though I heard they changed some in the mid 00s.

My 89 and 90 Pradeaux's never really came around to my taste, though they have always been worth the time I spent with them. Maybe I should try newer versions, but I got the sense that I'm too old for this wine.
 
Years ago, Marshall Manning of interweb fame, bought all the Bandol he saw at auction. It was not fashionable then (is it now?), so he got great deals. That must be some cellar.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
Years ago, Marshall Manning of interweb fame, bought all the Bandol he saw at auction. It was not fashionable then (is it now?), so he got great deals. That must be some cellar.
Best, Jim
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I was doing something similar, but it doesn't show up very often. All my 1982s and 1985s are gone and I'm down to a bottle or two of 1989s and 1990s.

I'm always keeping an eye out, but there isn't much of a secondary market for Pradeaux as far as I can tell.
 
I've asked for Bandol on the Berserkers commerce board with no luck. K&L just sold eight bottles of the regular 1994 Tempier for something like $280. I was the third highest bidder. Probably a good deal. The notes on the wine on CellarTracker! are good, although someone on eBob who rated all the vintages in the 1980s and 1990s wasn't a fan of 1994. Tempier, I think, tends not to have too many bad years.
 
I came across some 80s Tempier a few years back and flipped out over its goodness. Now over hyped but strangely the trickle down doesn't go far.

Gaussen is certainly worth looking for.

Non hyped Pradeaux vintages seem to get late release in France and I've never had a bad one.
 
On a related note, a bottle of 2006 several months back was the most open nit young Pradeaux I can remember.

As for "off" vintages, the 1991 was a great example of a late release gem back in the mid-late 1990s.
 
The 2007 Pradeaux is one of best versions upon release I've tasted. I'd buy some up and put it away as it indicates it might reward delayed gratification. If you're into adult behavior, that is.
 
originally posted by Scott Frank:
The 2007 Pradeaux is one of best versions upon release I've tasted. I'd buy some up and put it away as it indicates it might reward delayed gratification. If you're into adult behavior, that is.
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I'd have to give that nod to 2006 as I indicated above. 2007 reminds me more of a more generous 1990 (it was called Vielles Vignes then).

Indeed, I've started putting Pradeaux away again starting in 2006, so I have a 15 year gap...
 
Finished the rest of it last night and it had smoothed out and developed a really cool mentholated thing on the back end. Sort of menthol meets a lavender heavy garrigue. Very cool.
 
PSA, looks like the 2010 Pradeaux is starting to make the rounds, but Wine Library has some bottles of the Longue Garde at $55 with free shipping on the WL Pass.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
PSA, looks like the 2010 Pradeaux is starting to make the rounds, but Wine Library has some bottles of the Longue Garde at $55 with free shipping on the WL Pass.
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We usually get a shot at Pradeaux here, so I'll buy locally. I'm trying to just buy 4-6 every vintage and not think about vintage too much. Have never had a Pradeaux disappoint.

Do you have the WL pass? What is it and why?
 
It's great - Amazon Prime for wine. $50 a year (it was $25 at one point on a special they posted on WB) for free shipping on most anything you order from there.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
It's great - Amazon Prime for wine. $50 a year (it was $25 at one point on a special they posted on WB) for free shipping on most anything you order from there.
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Do you order a lot from there? I've never ordered anything.
 
Not a ton, but I will be paying more attention on account of the L-Pass. My purchases from there over the last year have been:
2012 Benetiere Cote Rotie ($72)
2008 Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus ($60)
2009 Domaine des Billards St.-Amour Clos des Billards ($25)
2010 Porro Barolo Lazzairasco ($36)
2011 Chevillon Les St. Georges ($99)
2010 Guillemot Serpentieres ($42)
2010 Rollin Ile des Vergelesses ($52)
plus assorted onesies I don't bother to log.
 
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