Cassis: Domaine du Bagnol Winery

Cassis was first planted to the vine in the 12th century and the vineyards were developed on the north, east, and southeast slopes that surround the village. On May 15, 1936, the vineyards of Cassis made history by obtaining the classification in “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée**” (Appellation of Controlled Origin). It was the first in France to receive this distinction which crowns a millennium of wine history in this small maritime village of Provence. The Bagnol estate now has 23 hectares/57 acres of vines is one of 10 areas of the AOC Cassis appellation.

They are best known for their white wines in this area and I have fallen in love with them. This is saying a lot as I am predominantly a lover and drinker of red wine.

As soon as I got to Cassis on Friday, I knew I would drop my bags off in my room and walk directly to the Domaine du Bagnol. I had chosen this winery specifically because of their commitment to organic and natural wines. They were only open from 2-6pm on Friday and closed over the weekend so this was my one window of opportunity and I had no intention of missing it.

**NOTE: Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is a certification granted to certain French agricultural products, such as wine and cheese, to denote their place of origin, quality, and style. Location is at the heart of the classification, which values terroir*** as a unique, irreplicable asset in the production of agricultural goods.

***NOTE: Terroir is how a particular region’s climate, soils, terrain and tradition of winemaking affect the taste of wine.

I walked up to the winery and was immediately taken with the views. The domaine sits just beneath the imposing Cap Canaille and is a mere 200 meters distance from the shores of the Mediterranean. The municipal archives of 1430 mention “vines in the district of Bagnol” and it was in 1867 that the first formal trace of the property of the Marquis de Fesques, called the Bagnol, appeared.

I was lucky enough to receive a private tasting and had the place all to myself. Very unusual for this time of year AND very fun! The gal sharing her knowledge with me was new and wonderful, she even shared her notes with me as you will see below. We had such a lovely time together. Of course I was discovering and tasting new and different organic wines…that’s always a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.

From their website: “The motto of the Domaine is to work in the most natural way possible. Although the first vintage labeled "organic farming" was born in 2014, the conversion began three years earlier. It is out of conviction and not obligation that the Bagnol team strives to preserve as much as possible the biological balance of nature, which is found in their wines of rare elegance and loaded with know-how. The new generation of winegrowers leads us towards a natural and authentic agriculture where the human takes precedence over the technical means.”