Bandol AOCMourvedre, Cinsault, Grenache, Clairette, Bourboulenc55 haFounded 1977Saint Victor familyBandol
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.
Bandol AOCMourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Bourboulenc30 haFounded 1963Delille familyWinemaker Reynald DelilleBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDBandol
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.
Bandol AOCMourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Ugni Blanc15 haFounded 1968Hocquard familyWinemaker Agnes Henry-HocquardORGANIC CERTIFIEDBandol
Family estate on the north-western fringe of the Bandol AOC near the village of Le Castellet, organic-certified since 2014, run by Agnes Henry-Hocquard. The Saint Ferreol cuvee, pure Mourvedre, is the flagship.
Tasting: Open Monday to Friday 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm; Saturdays and Sundays by appointment
Signature wines: tour-du-bon-bandol-rouge, tour-du-bon-saint-ferreol, tour-du-bon-bandol-blanc
Tip: Saint Ferreol is the cellar candidate; the white from Clairette and Ugni Blanc is a textbook coastal Bandol Blanc.
Bandol AOCMourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Ugni Blanc15 haFounded 1965Dutheil de la Rochere familyWinemaker Jean-Baptiste DutheilBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDBandol
Long-established Bandol estate in the eastern part of the appellation at Sainte Anne d'Evenos, working its terraced limestone-and-clay slopes organically and biodynamically since the 1960s under three generations of the Dutheil de la Rochere family.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings by appointment
Signature wines: sainte-anne-bandol-rouge, sainte-anne-bandol-collection, sainte-anne-bandol-rose
Tip: The Collection cuvee, a barrel selection of the best old-vine Mourvedre, is a low-intervention reference.
Bandol AOCMourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Ugni Blanc55 haFounded 1801Dumoutier familyBandol
The Dumoutier family have farmed l'Olivette since 1801; today the estate runs 55 hectares of Mourvedre-led red, rose and white across plots on the Le Castellet plateau.
Tasting: Tastings at the estate; contact through the website to arrange
Signature wines: olivette-bandol-rouge, olivette-bandol-rose, olivette-bandol-blanc
Tip: The cuvee Marie Levenes (top-of-range red, oak-aged old-vine Mourvedre) is the cellar wine to seek out.
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.
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.
Palette AOCGrenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Grenache Blanc25 haFounded 1830Rougier familyWinemaker Jean-Francois RougierPalette
The Rougier family has farmed Chateau Simone since 1830 on the south-facing limestone scree of the Palette AOC, and now produces roughly 70 percent of the entire appellation's wine.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings by appointment
Signature wines: simone-palette-rouge, simone-palette-blanc, simone-palette-rose
Tip: Palette Blanc from this estate (Clairette-dominant, aged in old oak foudres) cellars 15 years from vintage.
Cassis AOCMarsanne, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Bourboulenc, Grenache, Cinsault12 haFounded 1920Zafiropulo and Sack familiesWinemaker Jonathan SackORGANIC CERTIFIEDCassis
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.
Cassis AOCMarsanne, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Bourboulenc, Grenache, Cinsault6 haFounded 1997Genovesi familyWinemaker Sebastien GenovesiORGANIC CERTIFIEDCassis
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: bagnol-cassis-blanc, bagnol-cassis-rose
Tip: Sebastien and Lisa Genovesi do open the tasting room when on-site; book in advance.
Cassis AOC, Cotes de Provence AOC, Bandol AOCMarsanne, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache, Cinsault22 haFounded 1928Santini familyORGANIC CERTIFIEDCassis
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: paternel-cassis-blanc, paternel-cassis-blanc-de-blancs, 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.
Cassis AOCMarsanne, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Bourboulenc, Sauvignon Blanc30 haFounded 1714Paret familyWinemaker Philippe GarnierORGANIC CERTIFIEDCassis
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: ferme-blanche-cassis-blanc, ferme-blanche-excellence-blanc, ferme-blanche-cassis-rose
Tip: The Cassis Blanc Excellence cuvee, aged briefly in old oak, is the cellar candidate.
Les Baux-de-Provence AOCGrenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rolle, Clairette58 haFounded 1903Missoffe and Poniatowski familiesORGANIC CERTIFIEDLes Baux-de-Provence
The founder's great-granddaughters Caroline Missoffe and Anne Poniatowski run the 300-hectare estate at the foot of Les Baux-de-Provence, with 58 hectares of certified organic vineyard plus 28 hectares of olive groves.
Tasting: Tastings at the on-site shop; cellar visits by appointment
Signature wines: mas-de-la-dame-coin-cache, mas-de-la-dame-stele, mas-de-la-dame-gourmande
Tip: The Coin Cache red is the estate's cellar candidate; the Gourmande rose is the everyday Provence picnic wine.
Les Baux-de-Provence AOC, IGP AlpillesGrenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Carignan, Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette15 haFounded 1988Dominique HauvetteWinemaker Dominique HauvetteBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDLes Baux-de-Provence
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: hauvette-cornaline, hauvette-amethyste, hauvette-roucas
Tip: Cornaline (Cabernet-Grenache-Syrah blend) is the cellar candidate; the Amethyste rose ages remarkably well.
Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, ClairetteWalk-ins welcomeLa Cadiere-d'Azur, Bandol
Bandol estate at 300 metres above La Cadiere-d'Azur, tasting room with terrace views over the Sainte-Anne d'Evenos terraces and the long-aged Mourvedre rouge.
Marsanne, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, BourboulencWalk-ins welcomeCassis cliffs
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.
Cassis AOCMarsanne, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Sauvignon BlancEUR 22-28 retail
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.