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AOC zone encompasses the old
fishing village of Bandol on the
coast, a popular holiday spot.
Red wines are Bandol’s calling
card; Mourvèdre grows espe-
cially well here, complemented
by Grenache and
Cinsault. Bandol is
the home of Domaine
Tempier, Provence’s most
renowned red wine
estate. Domaines Ott,
famous for its rosés and
earthy whites, is also in
the Bandol zone.
Cassis: Not to be
confused with
the blackcurrant
liqueur of the
same name, Cas-
sis is another pret-
ty fishing village
ten miles west
of Bandol. The
Cassis AOC zone
is the one dis-
trict in Provence
where white
wines dominate.
The whites, which
are made mainly
from Clairette and
Marsanne, with
some Ugni Blanc
and Sauvignon
Blanc, are full-bodied, dry, low-
acid, herbal-scented wines which
are delightful with the local spe-
cialty, bouillabaisse. Some reds
and rosés are also made here,
but the whites justifiably are in the
spotlight.
Bellet: A small AOC zone in the
hills above the city of Nice, but the
vineyards are in danger of being
swallowed up in Nice’s urban
sprawl. A pity, because the white
wines, made from Rolle (Vermen-
tino in Italy), Roussanne, Clairette,
and Chardonnay, are especially
fresh and fragrant.
Palette: East of the town of Aix-
en-Provence, Palette is Provence’s
smallest AOC zone. Most of the
vineyards are owned by one wine
estate, Château Simone. Rich,
long-lived reds are made here, as
well as fine rosés and whites.
Here is a sampling of some of the
wines that impressed the world:
Domaine Saint André de Figuière,
Côtes de Provence (Provence,
France) Rosé “Cuvée Magali”
2005: What a charming rosé!
It is fresh, light, crisp, and totally
dry, but with enough flavor to
hold up to grilled vegetables or
seafood. Made from a blend of
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cin-
sault, and Grenache.
Domaine Saint André de Figuière,
Côtes de Provence (Provence,
France) Rouge Vielles Vignes
2004: Domaine Saint André de
Figuière, which owns all of the
vineyards of its wines, is quite
proud of its old-vine (about 25
years-old) red, a substantial,
dark-colored wine with tart, black
cherry aromas and flavors and
spicy, peppery notes. Made with
60 percent Mourvèdre, 25 percent
Carignan, and 15 percent Syrah.
A very impressive wine.