From the Massif de
la Sainte-Baume down to the shore of the Mediterranean, the vine
is an integral part of the landscape and its presence makes itself
felt everywhere. Bandol terroir faces due south and benefits
from exceptional conditions of light and heat, with nearly 3,000
hours of sun exposure a year. The vineyard lies in a natural
amphitheatre. The vines are planted on terraces called restanques
on approximately 1,500 hectares. Several generations of vine
growers had to shape the hillsides to make them suitable for
vine cultivation and these terraced slopes are the result of
their perseverance.
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A balcony overlooking the sea
In order to prevent ground erosion and to clear it of stones, the
vine growers erected piece by piece innumerable low drystone walls,
the famous Bandol restanques. They became builders to be able to
turn the steep slopes of the hillsides into patches of cultivable
land, following the contour lines. These consolidated grounds are
particularly favourable for vine growing. The restanques also allow
natural regulation of the resources in water. Today, the wine growers
carry on the development of the lands abandoned at the beginning
of the century. By resisting the pressure of real-estate developers,
they make their contribution to the upkeep of the countryside,
help protect the environment, and preserve the beauty of the landscape.
A multifaceted geology
The soils in the appellation area are mainly limestone, very pebbly,
with, in places, sandy marls and sandstones. They are as diverse
as could be expected in such an uneven landscape. The action of
natural erosion on the bed-rocks of the upper cretaceous age (calcareous
sandstones and sandy marls) resulted in sandstone soils enriched
with silico-calcareous elements. Those are the most typical soils
of the Bandol appellation. In some places the soils are of Jurassic
or even Triassic age and consist of red or white limestone, clay
and marl or sand. The main characteristic of the Bandol appellation
is the stone-like aridity and low fertility of well-drained, highly
calcareous soils. To preserve this character, the writers of the
decree made a point of including in the appellation area only the
plots of land situated on hillsides. The natural dryness of the
soils is balanced by the humidity of the air from the sea and by
rainfall (600 mm/year on average), low yet perfect to compensate
for the water deficit during summer. The appellation area encompasses
eight communes suspended between mountain and sea to the south
of the Massif de la Sainte-Baume: Bandol, La Cadière d’Azur,
Saint-Cyr-sur-mer, Le Castellet, Le Beausset, Evenos, Ollioules
and Sanary. |
