Vineyards in Var: a tour of Domaine de l’Olivette

Covering an area of approximately 1,500 hectares, the terroir of the Bandol appellation covers 8 communes in Var (Bandol, Le Beausset, Le Castellet, La Cadière d’Azur, Saint Cyr-sur-mer, St. Anne of Evenos, Sanary-sur-mer and Ollioules) and some 50 winemakers. The region covers a natural amphitheatre of terraces that descend towards the Mediterranean Sea in the shelter of the Sainte Baume massif to the north.

During my stay at Mas du Brulat, a small luxury hotel in the commune of Le Castellet in the department of Var in Provence, I had the good fortune of visiting one of the many vineyards: the nearby Domaine de l’Olivette, producers of Bandol wines and suppliers to the hotel’s bar and restaurant.

In fact, the domaine is one of the oldest in the Bandol appellation which was created back in 1941. Bandol is most famous for its red wines, which are characterised by the Mourvèdre grape – a grape variety which thrives in this hot region and…