The Alpilles are a miniature mountain range characterized by rugged limestone outcrops, old olive groves, and rocky vine rows lit by a sky so magnificent it inspired the most productive period of Van Gogh’s career during his year-long stint in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Another notable resident of Saint-Rémy is Dominique Hauvette, who arrived four decades ago, acquired some vineyard land, and set out on the road to becoming a legend of Provençal wine. Her Cornaline, a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cabernet, exemplifies the unique brushstroke that gives her wines their inimitable character. She seamlessly channels both the rusticity of the craggy landscape and the brilliant light that captured Van Gogh’s imagination.

Pull up a wine map of Provence and search for a little patch of Côtes de Provence along the region’s northeastern fringes. That lonely dot represents Clos Saint-Joseph, a five-hectare domaine—the only domaine—in the tiny town of Villars-sur-Var, forty-five minutes north of Nice along a snaking river valley flanked by tall walls of stratified rock. This sparsely populated slice of Provence’s Maritime Alps is undoubtedly home to the region’s most remote and unusual terroir. A medley of grape varieties grown organically in limestone rubble create a handsome white whose singular flavors and textures—creamy, salty, stony, slightly bitter—work wonderfully with the cuisine of Provence and nearby Liguria.

The top value cuvée from Clos Sainte Magdeleine features Vermentino, Ugni Blanc, and Clairette grown a few miles inland of the domaine’s cellar in Cassis. Bursting with exuberant floral aromas and fragrant summer fruit, it boasts low alcohol and a zippy acidity from the cool vineyard site, tucked high in Provence’s forested hills. It’s a different take from a domaine specialized in mouthwatering white wines. Pair it with a plate of melon and prosciutto to flirt with perfection.

Proprietor Reynald Delille always appears in disbelief when tasting his own wines, as if he cannot fathom his land revealing new secrets with each vintage. When we first tasted this 2020 rouge, he stood speechless in the shadow of a tall cask, grinning and shaking his head repeatedly. “C’est pas possible!” he finally uttered, eyes wide and palate stained. He deems it the greatest rouge the domaine has bottled to date, citing the pristine vintage conditions plus a je ne sais quoi that always allows Terrebrune to transcend expectations. Generous, savory, and brimming with rich wild fruit, this beautiful young beast is certain to elicit incredulous reactions for many more years to come.