Clos Ste Magdeleine 2023 Cassis Blanc, Provence

In recent decades, the sleepy fishing village of Cassis has grown, driven by summering northerners who treasure the weather and majestic azure Mediterranean waters of coastal Provence.  The wines grown nearby are crafted to accompany the seafood of the region, and there are none more celebrated than those created by Clos Ste. Magdeleine.

The estate is stunning, located on a small peninsula jutting into the Mediterranean, not far from town.  The sheer cliffs that border the vineyard and the small protective forest at the tip provide dramatic views of the churning blue water below.  Additional vineyards are on nearby hills, growing south-of-France varieties Marsanne, Ugni Blanc, Clairette and Bourboulenc for this crisp white wine which is produced in small quantities. 

In 2008 owner Jonathon Sack took over the winemaking and management of this estate from his father Francois who was credited with raising the profile of the finest estate in the appellation. 

Importer Kermit Lynch discovered this small winery decades ago and had this to say about it:

"Sometimes I feel underappreciated because some people think my life is one big vacation. They don’t realize the effort it can take to obtain a decent bottle of wine. Yesterday, for example, I had to spend practically the entire day at Cassis. It is not like I can just taste the wine, agree on a price, and go home. No, I had to drive down to the harbor with the winemaker, jump from the pier onto his bobbing boat and motor out onto the Mediterranean, scene of countless shipwrecks. The sun’s heat was blazing. I tried not to think of ozone depletion, sunburn, skin cancer... we had no choice but to jump into the cooling sea. Luckily I had on a bathing suit. Just as I was about to dive in, I noticed a school of inch-long jellyfish floating by. Their sting can momentarily paralyze you and leave you in pain for days. I wondered, is it really worth it? We motored out to safer waters and, finally, almost faint from heat prostration, I plunged into the cool blue water, a blue so beautiful I could barely stand it.