Château Canadel
On a day where we had our sights set on a good three to four vineyards before noon, a ‘bouchon’ problem (the returning some corked wine and heavy holiday traffic) limited our options. So, we had to choose carefully and, so it turned out, we chose extremely well.
The climb up through the dry-stone terraced vineyard to Château Canadel was beautiful and the clean lines of the modern-day estate house outlined by the limestone escarpment behind, grand and impressive yet ever so tasteful.
We received a warm greeting from Vianney as we walked into the cave, the oak barrels visible in the cellar below, through a couple of glass paving slabs at our feet.
Explaining that he ran the vineyard with his wife after going back to university to study winemaking for a couple of years, Vianney guided us through the first tasting - Canadel’s rosé from 2017. The wine was a soft peach blush, light and airy, that would be best, we were told, after 3 or 4 years could be kept for up to ten (for those who could resist!).
Next, and without hesitation Vianney opened the deeper salmon coloured 2016 wine that had very soft, understated but thorough undertones. And following this, was the 2014, the proprietor’s first ever vintage under the Canadel name. Before 2014 the grapes from this vineyard’s terraces had been sold to wineries in the area including d’Ott. This first vintage was so rounded, with your eyes closed it could be mistaken for a well-bodied white and could accompany a proper supper – poultry or meats.
We were going to purchase the 2016 rosé when Vianney got out the corkscrew once again – this time for the Château’s 2015 red. It was phenomenal - a beautiful colour and undertones very similar to the Alba’s and Barbaresco’s of Piedmont. Taken off-track by this unexpected pour, we ended up buying red instead of rosé this time round. (It proved to be a bit of a trend further into our tour – the Bandol Reds will have to be next).
Tried and tasted the 2017, 2016 & 2014 rosés (50% mourvèdre, 40% cinsault 10% granache) which are sold at around €16/bottle.
Destination, drop in or drive-by? – Definitely a destination. If not top of the list then very near..