Cassis, The oldest vineyard in France

Most people are familiar with Marseille, France’s second-largest city. Founded, 2600 years ago, by sailors from the Greek city of Phocaea, the settlement, known as Massalia, brought with it the tradition of viticulture. Interestingly, these Greek sailors discovered that the local population was already cultivating vines in the region. The sailors founded a colony named Massalia and brought viticulture with them. But they were surprised that the local population also had planted vines in the region.

Recognizing the region’s suitableness for viticulture, they planted vines in the hills encircling their new colony. The wines from this area quickly gained credit, with amphorae from Massalia found across Europe. Despite the departure of the Greeks and the fall of the Roman Empire, viticulture survived. However, it wasn’t until the 12th century that the name Cassis was first recorded, marking the beginning of its own distinct winemaking history.

But the vineyard of Cassis became famous around 1520 when an Italian-born family installed in Cassis started to use Muscat (locally named Muscatel). The wine was singular in a region that mainly produced red wine. The wine they produced was aromatic and sweet.

But the vineyard of Cassis didn’t escape the devastation of the phylloxera crisis in the mid-19th century.
However the vineyard survived. Local producers reestablished vineyards focused on varieties excluding Muscat, cultivating Marsanne, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Bourboulenc, Terret Blanc, and Pascal Blanc for white wines, as well as Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Barbaroux for red and rosé wines.

In 1936 the vineyard became one of the first to gain an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôllée) along with Chateau Neuf du Pape, Arbois, Monbazillac, and Tavel. It was a consecration for this unique terroir. The AOC celebrated this unique terroir.

The wine from the Cassis appellation is required to be produced exclusively within the Cassis area. The vineyards are in the Bay of Cassis, framed by creeks and France’s tallest sea cliffs, Cap Cannaille. This appellation covers about 215 hectares, with a significant focus on white wine production, which accounts for 70% of its output.

The vines are cultivated on terraces (called restanques here) on limestone from the Cretacean and clay from the Cenomanian, the soil is poor but well-drained, and it can keep water which helps to produce fine, harmonious, and balanced wines.

The vineyard runs from the seashore to 3.5 km inland with an altitude ranging from 10 to 150 meters. There are 3 major sectors, the “Coteaux de la Douane” in the east on the cliff. It is the hottest sector in the appellation, and the soil is poor. It is ideal for the Ugni Blanc and Clairette that give here their best expression.

The sector “Les Janots” is a valley in the middle of the appellation, dry but with more water. A good place for Marsanne and Sauvignon Blanc.

The last sector, « La zone du plan », a flat terroir in the north of the appellation, made up of white and grey marl, ideal for Grenache and Sauvignon Blanc, it is here that the grapes for rosé wine are mainly produced.

Winemakers often have several plots in the three different sectors that let them produce very distinctive wine. Cliffs surrounding the vineyard create a microclimate, protecting it from wind, and the proximity of the sea moderates temperatures. The sea breeze provides some humidity even in summer.

Varieties, soil, and the climate allow Cassis to produce very distinctive wine, vintage have also an influence, but the winemaker style is the main differentiator here.

They usually have several plots across the three sectors to create a blend, but they also create wine from a unique plot, “cuvée parcelaire”.

The plot diversity makes the wine full and complex, it can offers several profiles, floral, honey, fruits and vegetables and minerals or salty finish. I can be aged up to 15 years.

Wines from Cassis are traditionally paired with Mediterranean fish, sea bass, red mullet, and other local fish. The wine is the ideal drink for the Bouillabaisse and other fish stews. It’s also an excellent wine for seafood like sea urchins, squid, octopus, or fatty oysters.

The wine is ideal with goat cheese, Italian pasta, and poultry. It is amusing with spicy food like accras, Chinese food or fat fish sashimi.

There are some fabulous wines in the appellation:

Gaganis from Domaine Bagnol is one of them. It uses almost all the varieties allowed in the appellation; Ugni, Marsanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc, and Pascal from the same plot (cuvée parcellaire). The result is a complex wine, fruity, mineral with fresh almond notes.

L’Esprit de Famille from le domaine du Paternel is another example of wine from Cassis. The wine has honey and almonds on the nose while being fresh in the mouth with citrus and white fruit flavors.

For rosé wine, you can try the Cassis Rosé from Clos Sainte Magdeleine is a good option. A wine made from Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvedre with red fruit and a saline touch at the end.

There are other producers in Cassis.

• Chateau de la Fontcreuse, 28 hectares, producing white and rosé
• Domaine Saint Louis, 8 hectares, producing white, red and rosé
• Domaine la Donna, producing white and rosé
• Domaine Couronne de Charlemagne, 7 hectares, white and rosé
• Domaine des quattres Vents, 9 hectares, white, red and rosé
• Clos Albizzi, 14 hectares, white and rosé
• La Ferme Blanche, founded in 1714, 30 hectares, white, red and rosé
• Domaine Cassis Bodin, 35 hectares, white, red and rosé
• Chateau Barbanau, 7 hectares, only white wine.

Cassis, one of southern France’s best-kept secrets, is renowned for its predominantly white wines that exude vibrancy, aromatic complexity, and refreshing qualities. Actually, most producers are organic or biodynamic, but none of them tried natural wine. Still, the wines of Cassis are absolutely worth exploring for their unique character and quality.