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A Quintessential Provençal Rosé

A Quintessential Provençal Rosé

A Sale Selection from Guide to Southern French Blends A Sale Selection from Guide to Southern French Blends

2020 Côtes de Provence Rosé

2020 Côtes de Provence Rosé

Clos Sainte Magdeleine   

Discount Eligible $29.00
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Use promo code SOUTH20 to take 20% OFF this and other wines in Guide to Southern French Blends Collection, now through July 3rd!

You’ve likely heard about the “earthly paradise” in Cassis that is Clos Sainte Magdeleine. You may even know the story of how, on his way from Barcelona to Salzburg in 1969, Kermit serendipitously stopped in this Provençal port village—before importing wine had crossed his mind—and fell for the local dry white wine made here.
      We have now worked with Clos Sainte Magdeleine for almost forty years, and while they have always represented the pinnacle of Cassis’ wine traditions, their whites and rosés have continued to improve steadily through conversion to organic viticulture, experimentation with biodynamics, and increasingly rigorous practices in the cellar. They have also refused to rest on their laurels by continuing to push the envelope in other ways, namely through new cuvées, such as this exquisite, terroir-driven Côtes de Provence rosé.
      Winemaker Jonathan Sack’s father has called Clos Sainte Magdeleine’s wine “Provençal sunshine in a glass,” but this rosé has real depth in addition to its sunny charm. It’s a terroir-driven wine that evokes the very earth of Provence. As if the grapes were infused with that salty sea air and wild sagebrush, there are hints of each, along with crisp lemony nuances and a whole lot of those ripe little strawberries for sale at roadside markets.

Use promo code SOUTH20 to take 20% OFF this and other wines in Guide to Southern French Blends Collection, now through July 3rd!

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About The Region

Provence

map of Provence

There is perhaps no region more closely aligned with the history of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant than Provence. While Kermit began his career as a Burgundy specialist, he soon fell in love with Provence and its wines, notably the legendary Bandols of Domaine Tempier, which he began importing in 1977. He later began living in the area part-time, returning frequently between tasting trips, and today he spends most of his time at his home just outside of Bandol.

Provence is thought to be France’s most ancient wine region, established when Greek settlers landed in the modern-day port city of Marseille in the 6th century BC. The conditions here are ideal for cultivation of the grapevine, with a hot, dry climate and a prevalence of poor, rocky soils, primarily limestone-based, suitable for vines and not much else. The ever-present southern sunshine as well as the mistral, a cold, drying wind from the northwest that helps keep the vines free of disease, are crucial elements of Provençal terroir. Wild herbs from the pervasive scrubland, called garrigue, and cooling saline breezes from the Mediterranean also contribute to the quality and character of wines in all three colors.

Provence is well known for its rosés, but red wines have always held importance here. The very best, such as those from Bandol, possess great depth and a capacity for long-term aging. The white wines, notably those of Cassis, offer weight balanced by a maritime freshness, making them ideal pairings for the local seafood. Mourvèdre reigns king for red grapes, supported mainly by Grenache and Cinsault, while Clairette, Marsanne, Rolle, and Ugni Blanc are the region’s principal white grapes.

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Inspiring Thirst

A good doctor prescribed the wine of Nuits-Saint-Georges to the Sun King, Louis XIV, when he suffered an unknown maladie. When the king’s health was restored the tasty remedy enjoyed a vogue at court. Lord, send me a doctor like that!

Inspiring Thirst, page 117