Chateau Padeaux, Bandol Rouge, "Le Lys"

Imagine if Roberto Conterno quietly made a “second wine” of his legendary Monfortino Barolo and released it at a giveaway price. You, me, and everyone else would bend over backwards to get it. That’s essentially what’s happening in Provence right now: Château Pradeaux, whose iconic Bandol Rouge was once compared by Robert Parker to Monfortino, now has a little brother at a third of the price! The 2022 “Le Lys” Bandol Rouge prides itself on delivering Pradeaux’s unmistakable Mourvèdre-dominant character, but with more aromatic lift and early-drinking charm: young vines instead of old, partial whole cluster instead of 100%, and two years of cask aging instead of four. If you’ve ever wanted a window into the soul of Pradeaux without waiting decades for that brooding wall of tannins to soften, this is it. 

The story of Château Pradeaux is one of continuity that borders on defiance. The Portalis family has owned this estate since 1752—before the French Revolution!—and has never strayed far from its original philosophy. There’s even a statue in Bandol honoring Jean-Étienne-Marie Portalis, a family ancestor who helped draft the Napoleonic Code, which gives you a sense of the lineage here. But the modern identity of Pradeaux owes much to Arlette Portalis, who, alongside Lucien Peyraud of Domaine Tempier, helped formalize the Bandol appellation in 1941, insisting on Mourvèdre’s dominance in the blend. Today, Etienne Portalis carries that torch with quiet intensity, maintaining the estate’s deeply traditional approach while serving as a leading voice within the appellation. Critics often describe Pradeaux as “old school,” and that’s accurate—but not in a dusty or irrelevant way. It’s a living tradition, one that refuses to bend to trends, producing wines that demand patience, attention, and, ultimately, reward.

First produced in 2016, “Le Lys” offers a fascinating counterpoint to the estate’s flagship cuvée. Where the classic bottling is built for four to five decades of cellaring—nearly all Mourvèdre, whole cluster, and aged for at least four years in large casks—“Le Lys” takes a more immediate, expressive route. The blend here is 85% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, and a welcome addition of Cinsault, sourced from younger vines. In the cellar, half of the grapes ferment whole cluster and aging is reduced to a mere two years in cask. These choices shape “Le Lys” into something more open-knit, more aromatic, and surprisingly approachable in its youth. It’s not a “simple” version of Pradeaux—it’s a different lens, one that reveals nuance earlier, without sacrificing the estate’s unmistakable identity.

In the glass, the 2022 “Le Lys” is striking from the first pour. The nose lifts with an almost Nebbiolo elegance—rose petals, dried violets, and a delicate thread of rosewater that feels unusually expressive for Mourvèdre. Beneath that floral register, darker tones emerge: black cherry, macerated plum, and a subtle sauvage note of leather and garrigue. On the palate, it walks a fine line between structure and charm. The tannins are present (this is still Pradeaux Bandol, after all!) but they’re more polished, framing the fruit rather than overwhelming it. There’s also a great non-fruit spine running through the wine, carrying flavors of crushed stone, spice, and a whisper of salinity. But what impressed me most is the balance: it has the architecture to age, yet it’s already giving so much. It’s begging for a well-marbled, bone-in ribeye prepared simply on the grill, with a thick crust of salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence. Though you can buy the latter pre-made, it’s more rewarding if you do it yourself. Just four herbs are needed, and you’ll find an easy recipe in the link above.