From Aix-en-Provence: Half-day Sidecar Wine Tour
Leave Aix-en-Provence aboard a vintage sidecar and discover the legendary Sainte-Victoire mountain, Cézanne’s muse, along with charming villages and local wine tastings.
Structure
Drinking window
Best 5 to 15 years from vintage.
vintage5 yrs15 yrs17 yrs
Critic scores
No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating in the header is our own.
In the glass
Aroma: black plum, violet, graphite, cedar
Palate: blackberry, cocoa nib, iron, tobacco
Syrah-led Cotes de Provence Cru Classe red from organic Sainte Marguerite. Bordeaux-style barrique-aged with cedar, graphite and dark-fruit depth.
What it pairs with
-
Magret de canard with cherries
Fantastique's black-plum and iron register echo cherry sauce and duck fat; tannins handle the seared skin. -
Slow-braised lamb shank
Long-cooked lamb finds a peer in the wine's structure and tobacco depth; iron grip frames the meat. -
Aged Comte with walnut
Hard cheese with nutty depth aligns with the wine's cedar and cocoa-nib register. -
Beef cheek with red wine reduction
Slow-braised collagen-rich beef and the wine's tannin frame lock together.
History
Fantastique was launched in the mid-1990s as Sainte Marguerite's flagship red, drawing from the estate's higher slopes planted to Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cru Classe red category has been growing as estates like Sainte Marguerite show that quality reds are possible on the Var coast.
- 1955: Estate classified as Cotes de Provence Cru Classe
- 1995: Fantastique launched as the estate flagship red
Facts
- Producer
- Chateau Sainte Marguerite · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvedre
- Classification
- AOC Cotes de Provence Cru Classe
- Oak
- Around 12 to 14 months in French oak barriques, around 30 percent new
- ABV
- 14.0%
- Price
- EUR 35 to 55 at retail
- Drinking window
- 5-15 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1995
- Organic
- ORGANIC CERTIFIED
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Frequently asked about Chateau Sainte Marguerite Fantastique Rouge
What does Sainte Marguerite Fantastique taste like?
Black plum, violet, graphite and cedar on the nose; blackberry, cocoa nib, iron and tobacco on the palate. Full-bodied with firm tannins, high acidity and a long savoury finish.
When should I drink Sainte Marguerite Fantastique?
Drink between 5 and 15 years from vintage. The barrique aging gives the cuvee genuine cellaring potential; decant 60 minutes for vintages under 8 years old.
Is Sainte Marguerite Fantastique vegan?
Yes. The estate does not use animal-derived fining agents and is certified organic.
What food pairs with Sainte Marguerite Fantastique?
Magret de canard with cherries is the canonical pairing. Slow-braised lamb shank, aged Comte with walnut and beef cheek with red wine reduction are equally strong matches.
What grapes are in Fantastique?
Syrah dominates, completed by Cabernet Sauvignon and a small share of Mourvedre from the estate's higher slopes above La Londe-les-Maures.
Tags
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