Marsanne in Provence

Clos Sainte Magdeleine ★ 4.7

Twelve hectares of vineyard on terraced limestone-and-sandstone cliffs of Cap Canaille above the Mediterranean at Cassis, in the Zafiropulo family since 1920 and now managed by Jonathan Sack. Organic-certified.

Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings; contact the estate to arrange

Signature wines: Clos Sainte Magdeleine Cassis Blanc, Clos Sainte Magdeleine Cassis Rose

Tip: The basic Cassis Blanc Marsanne-Clairette is consistently among the appellation's best wines.

Domaine du Bagnol ★ 4.5

Genovesi family estate at the foot of the Cap Canaille cliffs at Cassis, bought from Clair Lefevre in 1997 and organic-certified since 2011. Six hectares of vineyard producing roughly equal red, white and rose, with the Marsanne-dominant white as the flagship.

Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings; contact the estate to arrange

Signature wines: Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Blanc, Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Rose

Tip: Sebastien and Lisa Genovesi do open the tasting room when on-site; book in advance.

Domaine du Paternel ★ 4.4

Santini family estate at Cassis, four generations on the property since 1928, working organic vineyard across three appellations (Cassis, Cotes de Provence and Bandol). The Cassis Blanc de Blancs is the estate's flagship white.

Tasting: Open Monday to Sunday, 9:30am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 6pm

Signature wines: Domaine du Paternel Cassis Blanc, Domaine du Paternel Cassis Blanc de Blancs, Domaine du Paternel Cotes de Provence Rose

Tip: Tasting room open without appointment most days; pair the Cassis Blanc with bourride at one of the harbourside restaurants.

Domaine de la Ferme Blanche ★ 4.4

The same family has owned La Ferme Blanche at Cassis since 1714 (Francois Paret with his daughter Jeromine). Thirty hectares of organic-certified vineyard on the seaside hillsides facing the bay, with chalky and clay-limestone soils.

Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings; contact the estate to arrange

Signature wines: Domaine de la Ferme Blanche Cassis Blanc, Domaine de la Ferme Blanche Cassis Excellence Blanc, Domaine de la Ferme Blanche Cassis Rose

Tip: The Cassis Blanc Excellence cuvee, aged briefly in old oak, is the cellar candidate.

Domaine de Trevallon ★ 4.9

Eloi Durrbach planted Trevallon in the Alpilles foothills in 1973 and bottled the first vintage in 1976. The wine declassified to vin de pays in 1994 after the AOC required a maximum 20 percent Cabernet (the Trevallon blend is 50-50 Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah). Now bottled as IGP Alpilles and considered an IGP Alpilles cult red.

Tasting: No regular public visits; wines sold on allocation through importers

Signature wines: Domaine de Trevallon Rouge, Domaine de Trevallon Blanc

Tip: The Blanc, a Marsanne-Roussanne blend in small quantity, is even harder to source than the rouge.

Domaine Hauvette ★ 4.7

Dominique Hauvette planted her first two hectares at Saint-Remy-de-Provence in 1988 and now works 15 hectares biodynamically. Vinifications use no added sulfur and the wines age in concrete eggs.

Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings strictly by appointment

Signature wines: Domaine Hauvette Cornaline, Domaine Hauvette Amethyste Rose, Domaine Hauvette Roucas Blanc

Tip: Cornaline (Cabernet-Grenache-Syrah blend) is the cellar candidate; the Amethyste rose ages remarkably well.

Clos Sainte Magdeleine Tasting Room ★ 4.7

Sack family Cassis estate on the Cap Canaille cliffs above the harbour, pouring white Cassis AOC blends in a tasting room opening onto the Mediterranean.

Clos Sainte Magdeleine Cassis Blanc ★ 4.3

Cassis Blanc from one of the appellation's reference estates, the cliff-edge Clos Sainte Magdeleine. Marsanne and Clairette make a dry, saline, citrus-driven white that drinks with grilled rouget and bouillabaisse for around twenty-five euros at the cellar.

Tip: The Cassis cellars sell at producer prices; for the best value, buy at the Clos Sainte Magdeleine domaine on the road out toward the corniche, where the view is the dividend.