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2018 Côtes de Provence Rouge
Clos Saint-Joseph
Even the most seasoned travelers might think they are familiar with all that Provence has to offer—until they drive up the hill to Villars-sur-Var, which sits on the doorstep of the French Alps, three hours east of Marseille and forty-five minutes north of Nice. Tucked in among limestone mountains that shield it from the Mediterranean heat, this slice of the region enjoys a very distinct microclimate. So you can imagine how thrilled we were to make not only a wine discovery but also a geographic and cultural one three years ago, when we ventured to Clos Saint-Joseph, a tiny domaine run by Roch Sassi.
Roch crafts red, white, and a rosé that offer entirely different expressions of the region from, say, Bandol or Cassis. His wines are more alpine, showcasing vivid, fresh fruit and less ripeness or muscle, though they still have impressive structure. Conditions were perfect in 2018: the grapes ripened ideally, resulting in an elegant, medium-bodied rouge with notes of red fruit and spices. It drinks wonderfully now and will evolve beautifully over the next five to ten years. If you have not become acquainted with this domaine since we introduced it, you’re in for a treat.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 50% Syrah, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Appellation: | Côtes de Provence |
Country: | France |
Region: | Provence |
Producer: | Clos Saint-Joseph |
Vineyard: | 90 years, 2.5 ha |
Soil: | Clay, limestone |
Farming: | Biodynamic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
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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.
More from Provence or France
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2022 Alpes-Maritimes Grassenc “Les Planches de Lunel”
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2020 Côtes de Provence Syrah “Les Planches de la Garedivole”
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2021 Bandol Rouge
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2022 Bandol Rouge “La Tourtine”
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2022 Alpilles Rouge “Cinsault”
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2024 Bandol Rosé
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2020 Bandol Rouge “Saint Ferréol”
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2023 Alpilles Blanc “Jaspe”
Domaine Hauvette France | Provence
2020 Alpilles Rouge “Amethyste”
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2017 Alpilles Blanc “Dolia”
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2019 Les Baux de Provence Rouge “Cornaline”
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2021 Bandol Rouge
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Where the newsletter started

Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch