Le Petit Nice Passedat Bar ★ 4.7
25 by the glassAnse de Maldorme (Marseille 7e)
The bar of Gerald Passedat's three-Michelin Le Petit Nice on the Anse de Maldorme, with deep Provençal cellar by the glass.
The list: The bar of Gerald Passedat's three-Michelin-starred Anse de Maldorme address, with a Provençal-leaning by-the-glass list including Bandol, Cassis and Cotes de Provence Cru Classe to follow the kitchen's signature fish work
Tip: The bar is the accessible entry to Passedat's cellar without the full degustation; reserve and time the visit to sunset on the Mediterranean.
Chateau d'Esclans tasting lounge ★ 4.4
8 by the glassLa Motte (Cotes de Provence)
The tasting lounge of Chateau d'Esclans (Sacha Lichine-founded 2006, LVMH-majority since 2019) at La Motte, with the Whispering Angel range up to Garrus on the by-the-glass list.
The list: The tasting lounge of Chateau d'Esclans, the Sacha Lichine-founded estate that LVMH took a majority stake in for an estimated 140 million euros, pouring Whispering Angel, Rock Angel, Les Clans and Garrus
Tip: The Garrus tasting flight is the premium pour; book the lounge tour ahead to taste through the four-tier rose ladder.
Chateau La Coste lounge bars ★ 4.5
14 by the glassLe Puy-Sainte-Reparade (Aix)
The lounge bars of Chateau La Coste, a vast Aix biodynamic estate with Tadao Ando architecture, contemporary art and estate wines by the glass.
The list: The lounges of Chateau La Coste, the vast Aix biodynamic estate that pairs a Tadao Ando-designed pavilion with a contemporary-art trail; the wine bar pours estate Cotes de Provence rose, white and red into the evening
Tip: Combine the art trail walk in the afternoon with an evening glass at the Tadao Ando pavilion; the rose is the natural pair for the summer terraces.
Muscat du Cap Corse pours at Maison des Vins de Bandol ★ 4.0
10 by the glassLe Castellet (Bandol)
The Bandol consortium's oenotheque at Le Castellet, with fortified Muscat pours alongside the appellation's Mourvedre roster.
The list: The Maison des Vins de Bandol oenotheque pours Muscat du Cap Corse and Beaumes-de-Venise fortified wines alongside the Bandol roster, the easiest place in Provence to taste the regional vins doux naturels
Tip: Ask the staff for the comparative pour: Beaumes-de-Venise Muscat (Rhone) alongside Muscat du Cap Corse (Corsica), the two southern French sweet-wine references.
Marc de Provence and eau-de-vie at Chateau Pradeaux ★ 4.1
8 by the glassSaint-Cyr-sur-Mer (Bandol)
Chateau Pradeaux at Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, where the family's Bandol range includes Ratafia and an estate eau-de-vie de marc.
The list: Chateau Pradeaux's range extends beyond Bandol rouge and rose to a Ratafia and an estate-distilled Eau de vie de marc, tastable at the cellar alongside the AOC bottles
Tip: The Pradeaux Marc is the regional after-dinner pour; ask the cellar for the Ratafia tasting to compare the sweet aperitif with the dry marc.
Pastis flights at Maison du Pastis Marseille ★ 4.2
20 by the glassVieux-Port (Marseille 2e)
A Vieux-Port specialist with more than 80 pastis bottlings, the canonical place in Marseille to taste the regional aperitif side by side.
The list: A specialist Vieux-Port shop and bar with a roster of more than 80 pastis bottlings from artisanal Provençal distillers, the canonical place to taste the regional aperitif
Tip: Order the comparative three-pastis flight to taste the difference between Henri Bardouin, Ferroni and the local micro-distillers; the local rule is five-to-one cold water.