Tasting the white wines of Cassis at Clos de Sainte-Magdeleine

Cassis is one of the oldest wine-growing areas in the world. The Phocaeans, who arrived from Greece, were already growing vines on the village terraces around 600 AD. The Romans then took over and seemed to appreciate the gentle life away from weapons and close to the land.

👉 Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée "Vin de Cassis

The "Vin de Cassis" AOC was one of the first to be created in France, in 1936. It covers the entire commune of Cassis.

Its main characteristics are :

• Vines grown on terraces at altitudes of 10 to over 150 metres.
• A special geology in the subsoil of Cassis
• Very little wind thanks to the surrounding mountains
• Over 2800 hours of sunshine a year
• Extremely rare frosts
• Authorised main grape varieties: Marsanne and Clairette
• Secondary grape varieties: ugni blanc, sauvignon blanc, bourboulenc, pascal blanc
• A density of 4,000 vines per hectare

Clos de Sainte-Magdeleine is a vineyard at the foot of Cap Canaille, just a few metres above sea level. This waterfront estate specialises in producing exceptional white wines, one of the best in the appellation. With the Organic Farming label, the winemaker creates wines rooted in their terroir and authenticity.

👉 Ploughing the estate's land with a draught horse

Sainte-Magdeleine has decided to return the land to the ancestral technique of ploughing with a draught horse.

As well as creating a bond with the animal, the winemaker avoids soil compaction, the use of fuel and many other negative consequences. This method has been used in agriculture for thousands of years.

👉 The estate's white wines, as iodised as the sea

The scents are an aromatic palette of white flowers, citrus fruit and iodine from the Mediterranean.

The wine has a lovely roundness and a good balance between iodised touches, notes of honey, aromas of white flowers, vine peach and citrus fruit. These are elegant, classy wines.

👉 Going to Clos Sainte Magdeleine

The Clos Sainte-Magdeleine offers guided tours of the winery. As the tour progresses, you will discover the history of the Clos.

The discovery tour takes you from the panoramic terrace overlooking the sea to the wine press, via the cellars. With the estate's sommelier, you'll learn about the wine-making process and how it differs from other wines, for example. The human side of Le Clos de Sainte-Magdeleine is also presented, along with the working philosophy, the reasons for making organic and unfiltered wine, etc.

For an additional fee, you can also taste 3 of the estate's best wines.