Lanversin family estate at Saint-Maximin in the cooler inland Coteaux Varois, 15 hectares of certified organic vineyard on south-facing limestone slopes at the foot of the Sainte-Baume massif.
Signature wines: deffends-clos-de-la-truffiere, deffends-rose-d-une-nuit, deffends-cuvee-rouvier
Tip: The Clos de la Truffiere, single-vineyard Cabernet-led red, is the cellar candidate.
Address: 2020 chemin du Deffends, 83470 Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, France, Provence
17-hectare organic estate at Chateauvert in the heart of the Provence Verte, owned by the Famille Perrin (also of Chateau de Beaucastel and the Miraval joint venture). Ecocert-certified organic since the vines were replanted in 1999.
Tasting: Open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm from April to October
Signature wines: margui-perle-de-margui, margui-rose, margui-blanc-de-blanc
Tip: Perle de Margui, the prestige red blend, is the estate's most layered wine.
17-hectare organic estate at Chateauvert in the heart of the Provence Verte, owned by the Famille Perrin (also of Chateau de Beaucastel and the Miraval joint venture). Ecocert-certified organic since the vines were replanted in 1999.
Tasting: Open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm from April to October
Signature wines: margui-perle-de-margui, margui-rose, margui-blanc-de-blanc
Tip: Perle de Margui, the prestige red blend, is the estate's most layered wine.
The Negrel family has owned Mas de Cadenet at Trets since 1813, working 45 hectares of vineyard at the foot of the Sainte-Victoire mountain in the Cotes de Provence sub-denomination. Currently run by Guy, Maud and Matthieu Negrel.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings at the on-site boutique
Signature wines: cadenet-arbaude, cadenet-mas-negrel, cadenet-rose
Tip: The Arbaude rose, single-vineyard from a parcel north of the property, is the cellar candidate.
Reference Bandol estate at Le Plan du Castellet, run by the Peyraud family since 1834, with the single-vineyard reds La Tourtine, La Migoua and Cabassaou setting the bar for age-worthy Mourvedre-led Bandol.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings without appointment Monday to Friday, 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm
Signature wines: tempier-bandol-rouge, tempier-la-tourtine, tempier-la-migoua, tempier-cabassaou
Tip: The estate's classic Bandol rouge is the gateway, but the single-vineyard Cabassaou (pure old-vine Mourvedre) is the cellar candidate.
Established in 1977 by Henri de Saint Victor on south-facing terraces above 300 metres at La Cadiere-d'Azur, Pibarnon sits at 300 metres above sea level, an upper-slope Bandol estate with Mourvedre at the heart of its long-ageing reds.
Tasting: Cellar tour and tasting Monday to Saturday by appointment
Signature wines: pibarnon-bandol-rouge, pibarnon-bandol-blanc, pibarnon-bandol-rose
Tip: The Bandol Blanc, built on rare old-vine Clairette and Bourboulenc, is one of the best whites in the appellation and tightly allocated.
The Portalis family have farmed Pradeaux on the Bandol coast at Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer since 1752, working a Mourvedre-dominant red programme (around 95 percent of the encepagement) with traditional long-foudre ageing.
Tasting: Tastings by reservation Monday to Friday, 9am to 12:30pm and 3pm to 6pm; tastings 15 EUR per person
Signature wines: pradeaux-bandol-rouge, pradeaux-le-lys, pradeaux-bandol-rose
Tip: The estate's basic Bandol rouge is bottled with very long oak ageing and needs five to ten years before it really shows.
Reynald Delille farms 30 hectares of certified organic Mourvedre, Grenache and Cinsault on dolomitic limestone at Ollioules, a few kilometres back from the Bandol coast, producing precision Bandol reds and a notable Bandol Blanc on dolomitic limestone.
Tasting: Tastings Monday to Saturday, 9:30am to 12:30pm and 2:30pm to 6pm; on-site restaurant
Signature wines: terrebrune-bandol-rouge, terrebrune-bandol-blanc, terrebrune-bandol-rose
Tip: Visit the on-site restaurant for the producer-led pairing menu featuring the estate cuvees.
