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Domain: La Bégude

Guillaume Tari, owner of Château Giscours, saw inestimable beauty in the Bandol appellation, and particularly Domaine de la Bégude, which he bought in 1996. With a true sense of appreciation for his vocation as winemaker and the beauty of his land, he gives his all to showcase the domain’s terroir, vintage after vintage. You’ve got to taste it to believe it; his cuvées are of rare, perhaps even unique, depth and richness.

La Bégude is a huge 500 hectare property, of which only a small part is planted with vines. The domain lies in the Cadière d'Azur region, near Castellet in the Var. It also has a large olive grove. The vineyard is in the Bandol appellation at an altitude of 400 metres. The Tari family (who own the agricultural company responsible for Château Giscours' vines) purchased the property in 1996. Guilllaume Tari manages the property. With a rich history, the site is like an open book. The barrel cellar, for example, is a 7th century Merovingian chapel. There are remnants of wine vats dating from the 14th century! La Bégude ("The place where one drinks"), is one of Bandol's most magnificent properties; eight grape varieties are grown: Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault, and Carignan for the reds, Ugni Blanc, Clairette, Rolle and Bourboulenc for the whites. The soil is mainly marly and clayey on a limestone base.
The property has Ecocert organic certification.
The wines are aged for approximately 18 months in barrels (depending on the vintage). Deep and intense, the red Bandol stands out for its notes of black fruit and liquorice, and its imposing tannic structure in its youth, which then mellows wonderfully after a few years.
Keep for: 10 to 12 years.