Utilizing the same varieties—Marsanne, Ugni Blanc, and Claudette—as their standard Cassis Blanc, plus an addition of Bourboulenc, Bel Arme is also allowed to ferment and age for an extended period of time in concrete egg without having its yeast removed. This allows to wine to develop greater depth and weight, and making it a bit more robust compared to the Classic Blanc. ”A Mediterranean white in a cashmere sweater” according to Dustin Soiseth of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant. What does a row of striped beach chairs on a pristine Mediterranean beach taste like? What white wine pairs best with Debussy’s La Mer? Yes, wine can be just a beverage, but it can also be incredibly evocative, and the vineyards of Clos Sainte Magdeleine, found on the coast of Provence, where winemaking has occurred since the Greeks arrived in the sixth century BC, are particularly stunning: they jut out on a private cape to meet majestic limestone bluffs, poised spectacularly above the sparkling, azure waters. Only a dozen vignerons today are fortunate enough to produce AOC Cassis, and the small quantities available are largely consumed locally with fresh fish—the best way to enjoy them. The Sack-Zafiropulo family has been making wine here for four generations and continues to craft whites of grace and finesse.Viticulture and vinification at Clos Sainte Magdeleine are under the direction of Jonathan Sack, who took the reins from his father, François, in 2008. The domaine bottles both whites and rosés, the latter of which are especially limited. The seaside location and abundant limestone yield delicate, mineral wines perfumed of wild herbs and flowers, with a trademark saline finish. Clos Sainte Magdeleine’s success lies in an uncanny ability to capture a dichotomous nerve and sun-kissed unctuousness in their wines, making them both incredibly food-friendly and delicious entirely on their own. 13.0% ABV
