Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé 2023

I spent years dismissing rose as pool wine. Then someone handed me a glass of Tempier and I stopped talking for a while. This is Mourvedre-based rose from Bandol — the one appellation in Provence that takes its reds and roses equally seriously. Pale copper color. Wild strawberry, herbs, sea salt, a mineral backbone that makes you sit up. It does not taste like summer. It tastes like the Mediterranean. Drink it with bouillabaisse if you want the full experience. Drink it with grilled fish if you want the easy version. Drink it alone on the porch if you want the honest version. It works every time.