Dom. le Galantin

Plan du Castellet, Provence, France From the terraced hillsides of the Bandol appellation, Domain le Galantin produces ageworthy Provençal wines. The small family-run domaine leans upon a millennia of winemaking in this rugged French region. In 600 BC, the Phoenicians were the first to plant vines on the area’s steep slopes; they built terraces to do so and these réstanques are sill in use. The sandy clay of the Bandol appellation, coupled with a protective mountain range, surrounding the basin shaped terrain, create the ideal environment to grow Mourvèdre. Bandol’s 1400 hectares of southerly facing vineyards benefit from an extraordinary 3,000 hours of sun each year. The Mediterranean heat is tempered by constant wind and humidity from the sea. In 1965, Achille Pascal and his wife Liliane created from two parcels in Le Plan Castellet. La Cadière et Le Castellet, which possessed both a combination of the area’s distinctive dark and red soils. They created Domaine le Galantin, which has never ssen any chemical use; their intention was always to be 100% organic, though they have not pursued certification. The first Bandols of Galantin were rosés. In 1972. A miniscule production of 12 hectoliters (317 gallons) was delivered to clients in France in 10 liter barrels typical of the region, known as bonbonnes. The vineyard grew and was restructured over the years to its current 35 hectares, 30 of which are devoted to the Bandol appellation. Since the early 1990s, the couple’s children, Jérôme and Céline have taken the reigns at the domaine. Céline in particular has been a great influence on the winemaking; she has spearheaded many significant changes in the physical plant and the winemaking practices, bringing greater focus and clarity to the wines. Both Jérôme and Céline have been very invested in commercial planning, marketing as well, exporting more to the international market.