The grapes used to make Domaine Tempier Bandol Rose come from selected parcels where the vines average 20 years old. The yields are low, which explains the intense concentration and distinct expression of each varietal in this wine. The Mourvedre gives this rose its strong character, balance and complexity. Fruity and floral on the nose, the palate is rounded and full with flavors of peach and pomegranate, followed by delicate spice notes and a pleasant, crisp freshness.

The grapes for the rose are harvested by hand. In the ripening process, the estate aims for a hint of freshness with some acidity and slightly less alcohol than for the red wines. The harvest takes place over a one-month period from the last week of August onwards. Harvested into 30kg crates, grape selection takes place in the vineyard and in the chai (winery). After full de-stemming, the grapes are pressed to obtain their juice and cold maceration is performed to extract the fruit aromas and achieve the desired pale color. Vat bleeding techniques are rarely used. The wine is then vinified by the traditional method used for making white wine, with careful temperature control. The rose is stored in concrete vats for 8 months before bottling.

Domaine Tempier’s 2025 Bandol Rosé comes from one of the region’s reference estates: a family-owned domaine founded in 1834 and long associated with Bandol’s rise, particularly through its championing of Mourvèdre. The rosé is a classic Bandol blend built around roughly 50% Mourvèdre, completed by Grenache and Cinsault. The fruit is estate-grown on clay-limestone slopes near the Mediterranean. In the cellar, Tempier treats the wine much like a white—gently pressed after brief skin contact or direct press, fermented cool in stainless steel or concrete, then matured about 6–8 months in neutral vats on fine lees before bottling. Alcohol is typically around 13% ABV.

Critical response to the 2025 is strong. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate delivers an excellent 93+ point review, with Yohan Castaing calling it “superb,” highlighting “ripe orchard fruits, guava, red berries, flowers and confit citrus.” He emphasizes a broader-shouldered style for rosé—“medium- to full-bodied, dense and layered”—while also noting “racy acidity that brings both energy and definition” and “a finish [that] is long and gently ethereal.” That combination of depth and lift is a recurring Tempier hallmark.

Vinous (92 points) also rates it highly, while framing the wine as more reserved and terrain-driven early on. Billy Norris finds it “tense, inward and a touch compact,” recommending patience as it “takes its time in the glass,” unfolding “grapefruit peel, white flowers, crushed oyster shell and river rocks.” He notes that, at present, “apricot fruit [is] pushed to the background and terroir complexity in the foreground,” and calls it “on the delicate side for this address.”

Overall, the 2025 reads as a serious, dry Bandol rosé—less about immediate fruit impact than layered scent, mineral detail, and length, with enough concentration to reward a short period in bottle.