BKWine Blog: BKWine Travel Stories: around Toulon

We start the day with Domaine Tour de Videaux in Pierrefeu. Paul Volker (no, it's not the ex-Chariman of the Federal Reserve) runs the domain sind the mid 90s and is making some very interesting Provence wine. Volker Paul (which are his first names) says, regretfully, that Provence is first and foremost known for its rose wine. And we agree - it is a pity that people don't appreciate more the excellent red wines that are made here. Tour des Vidaux, for example, make some excellent, concentrated syrah-based reds.

Domaine Tempier is perhaps bettr known. It is also located in one of the better known specific appellations in the region - Bandol. It is one of the very top domains in the area, together with e.g. Pradeaux and Pibarnon. The tasting is very interesting, starting of with some barrel samlin (well, not barriques, but big, old vats) where we have some very interesting examples of mourvedre, and how it can express some eminently "stinky" characters when in barrel - part of it due to the mourvedre varitey itself, and part of it due to reduction. Both promises a long life for for the 2008. (The reduction is certainly not a negative character at this stage.) And we finish with a wonderful 1989...

And head for Avignon.

Dinner (after a big lunch) is at a wine bar in the old town centre in Avignon. Perhaps one of France's best wine bars. Un-presumptuous, very simple to say the least, but with an excellent selection of wines. Don't expect white table cloths and slick serivce. But you will get excellent food, some very original wines (we had Terre de Chardons, Costieres de Nimes) - very biodynamic, very "natural", but good - and very friendly service. Definitely worth searching out if you go to Avignon, and don't need sophistication: AOC Cave et Bar a Vins wine bar, rue Tremoulet.