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2022 Cassis Blanc “Bel-Arme”
Clos Sainte Magdeleine
I haven’t experienced deep winter on the Mediterranean coast, but if I had to guess, I imagine it’s similar to what we experience here in Berkeley—clear blue skies and brisk air, some rain and fog, and the occasional frost or dusting of snow on the coast mountain peaks. (I can imagine eyes rolling in the Midwest and Northeast.) Due to an extended aging on the lees, the Bel-Arme has the added depth and roundness for a bracing winter day. With a touch of creaminess following the crisp stone fruit, it’s a Mediterranean white in a cashmere sweater.
—Dustin Soiseth
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2022 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 65% Marsanne, 15% Clairette, 15% Ugni Blanc, 5% Bourboulenc |
Appellation: | Cassis |
Country: | France |
Region: | Provence |
Producer: | Clos Sainte Magdeleine |
Winemaker: | Jonathan Sack |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1962-1964, 1 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | Wine is aged in concrete eggs |
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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2021 Bandol Rouge
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2021 Bandol Rouge “Lulu et Lucien”
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2022 Alpilles Rouge “Grenache”
Domaine Hauvette France | Provence
2019 Bandol Rouge “Saint Ferréol”
Domaine de la Tour du Bon France | Provence
2022 Bandol Rouge “La Tourtine”
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2016 Bandol Rouge
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2022 Bandol Rouge
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2023 Alpilles Blanc “Jaspe”
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Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236