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2020 Bouches-du-Rhône Rosé “Marie de Magdala”
Clos Sainte Magdeleine
This varietally pure Grenache rosé hails from the sea-facing slopes of the Cap Canaille, a steep cliff stacked with layers of sandstone and limestone. The vines––wind-swept by a salty Mediterranean breeze and lovingly warmed by the sun––live the sort of Provençal life vacationers dream of. Unlike the Sack family’s other rosés, which are raised in stainless-steel tanks, Marie de Magdala comes of age in stately sandstone amphorae. Open-knit and palate-cleansing, it tastes of ripe citrus fruits like pomelo and blood orange.
—Jane Berg
Wine Type: | Rosé |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Grenache |
Appellation: | Bouches-du-Rhône |
Country: | France |
Region: | Provence |
Producer: | Clos Sainte Magdeleine |
Winemaker: | Jonathan Sack |
Vineyard: | .7 ha, Planted in 1999-2000, 2011-2012 |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | Aged on fine lees in sandstone jarres until early summer bottling |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
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About The Producer
Clos Sainte Magdeleine
About The Region
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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Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171