Bandol AOCMourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette40 haFounded 1996Tari familyORGANIC CERTIFIEDBandol
Owned since 1996 by Guillaume Tari (also owner of Chateau Giscours in the Medoc), La Begude sits at more than 400 metres of altitude on the northern fringe of the Bandol AOC, the appellation's highest estate. Organic-certified vineyards on red clay over limestone.
Tasting: Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm; visits typically by appointment
Signature wines: begude-bandol-rouge, begude-bandol-blanc, begude-bandol-rose
Tip: La Begude bottles a single-vineyard cuvee Irreductible from older Mourvedre vines as the cellar candidate.
Bandol AOCMourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Sauvignon Blanc60 haFounded 1961Bunan familyORGANIC CERTIFIEDBandol
Three sister properties (Moulin des Costes, Mas de la Rouviere and Chateau La Rouviere) farmed by the Bunan family since 1961 across more than 60 hectares of organic-certified Bandol vineyard at La Cadiere-d'Azur.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings without appointment; check estate website for current hours
Signature wines: bunan-chateau-la-rouviere, bunan-mas-de-la-rouviere, bunan-moulin-des-costes
Tip: The Chateau La Rouviere cuvee is the family's top old-vine Mourvedre selection.
Bandol AOCMourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Ugni Blanc30 haFounded 1972Bronzo familyWinemaker Michel, Julien and Nicolas BronzoBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDBandol
Bronzo family estate at Sainte Anne du Castellet in the western Bandol AOC, working 30 hectares of organic and biodynamic Mourvedre on red clay and limestone scree. The single-vineyard cuvees Fontaneou and Estagnol come from old-vine parcels.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings by appointment
Signature wines: bastide-blanche-bandol-rouge, bastide-blanche-fontaneou, bastide-blanche-estagnol
Tip: The single-vineyard Fontaneou bottling cellars 15 to 20 years from vintage.
Bandol AOC, Cotes de Provence AOCMourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Rolle95 haFounded 1791Roger JaarORGANIC CERTIFIEDBandol
An old Bandol estate at Le Beausset extended to 95 hectares of forest, vineyard and olive groves by current owner Roger Jaar, working in certified organic agriculture across both the Bandol and Cotes de Provence appellations.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings; contact estate for current hours
Signature wines: souviou-bandol-rouge, souviou-cotes-de-provence-rose
Tip: The olive oil is sold alongside the wines and is one of the appellation's references.
Cotes de Provence AOC (Cru Classe 1955), Bandol AOCGrenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvedre, Rolle, Semillon220 haFounded 1912Maison Louis Roederer (66 percent) and the Ott family (34 percent)ORGANIC CERTIFIEDCotes de Provence La Londe
Three sister estates across Provence under one ownership: Chateau de Selle (Cotes de Provence Cru Classe, Taradeau, acquired 1912), Clos Mireille (Cotes de Provence La Londe, acquired 1936) and Chateau Romassan (Bandol, acquired 1956). Maison Louis Roederer acquired a 66 percent stake in 2004; the Ott family retains the balance and remains involved in operations.
Tasting: Visits and tastings at the three estates by appointment
Signature wines: ott-clos-mireille-blanc, ott-chateau-de-selle-rose, ott-chateau-romassan-bandol
Tip: Clos Mireille's white from Semillon and Rolle is one of Provence's reference whites; Chateau Romassan delivers the Bandol from the same group.
Chateau Miraval ★ 4.5
Cotes de Provence AOCGrenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Rolle30 haFounded 1500Brad Pitt (Mondo Bongo), Stoli Group (Tenute del Mondo) and Famille Perrin joint ventureWinemaker Marc PerrinORGANIC CERTIFIEDCotes de Provence
Sprawling 500-hectare estate at Correns north of Brignoles, with a 30-hectare working vineyard farmed organically. The wines are produced in a joint venture between Famille Perrin of Chateau de Beaucastel, Brad Pitt (Mondo Bongo) and the Stoli Group, which acquired Angelina Jolie's former 50 percent stake in 2021.
Tasting: The estate does not generally receive visitors at the property; wines widely available at Cotes de Provence retailers
Signature wines: miraval-rose, miraval-coeur-de-grain, miraval-muse-de-miraval
Tip: Muse de Miraval, the top-of-range rose released in tiny allocation each year, is the estate's prestige cuvee.
