Bandol Château Pradeaux X 10 Ans D'Elevage Famille Portalis 2007

One of Bandol's top producers, Château Pradeaux has been owned by the Portalis family since 1752. It was on this date that the Comte Jean-Marie-Etienne Portalis inherited the property; he subsequently became a minister under Napoleon and participated in the creation of France's Civil Code. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Comtesse de Portalis came to live at Château Pradeaux and decided to plant a vineyard at the property, which had previously only grown olives. Her nephew Cyrille Portalis has managed the estate since 1983. Château Pradeaux's vines are planted in clay-limestone soil and gently cooled by the Mediterranean breeze. These conditions are particularly well-suited to Mourvèdre, the predominant grape in the property's grand vin. The vineyard is managed using traditional methods: chemical treatments are kept to a minimum and yields are strictly limited. Harvests are entirely manual and the grapes are not destemmed. After vinification, the wines are matured for at least three years in oak casks.