Everyone knows the Calanques van Cassis, the rough but beautiful cliffs at the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. But the city is also known for its wine. And that is not just any kind of wine! In 1936, Cassis received, as one of the first three cities, the Appellation d’ Origine Contrôlée (AOC) certification mark. This mark is a French quality control of agricultural products, a controlled designation of origin.
It speaks for itself that not every wine deserves the Appellation d’ Origine Contrôlée. The wine is tested on strict conditions. The most important condition is that the wine should be produced in a certain region. Other conditions to receive the certification mark are required soil types, grape varieties, the number of planted grapevines, the fermentation process and the alcoholicity. Brands that got the AOC mark should place some required information on their labels.
The calcareous grounds are particular qualified for the production of wine. Adjacent to that the grapevines are protected for the Mistral by the high cliffs. Therefore, the region has a beautiful microclimate that enjoys over 2800 hours of sun every year. This all has led to the fact that Cassis has 12 wine manufactures that use their 200 hectares to produce over 1,2 million bottles every year. Cassis is celebrated for its white dry wines, while the rosé and red wines are also produced.
Therefore, wine is, after tourism, the second most significant source of income in Cassis. If you love wine, a visit to the vineyards of the ‘ Route des vins de Provence’ cannot be missing on your itinerary. You can go there for an extensive tour around the premises with or without a wine tasting afterwards. When you are looking for more information click here: http://routedesvinsdeprovence.com/
One of the vineyards that should not be forgotten is Le Clos de Saint Magdeleine in Cassis. If you would like to visit a vineyard but you do not know which one. Go to Le Clos de Saint Magdeleine. This vineyard lays at the coast which gives a beautiful view. You can go there for a tour or wine tasting, but it is, of course, possible to buy the wines made on the estate.
If you want to see all 12 wine products under one roof, to taste and buy the wines, you can go to ‘Le Chai Cassidain’. This wine cellar and bar is located in the middle of Cassis. During a ‘degustation’ you can taste the different wines from the region. The bar serves a daily selection of 4 or 5 white wines, 3 rosés, 4 red wines and 2 champagnes accompanied with tasteful treats.
The full white wines of Cassis have a low acidity and spiced aromas and are therefore perfect in combination with Bouillabaisse and other dishes from the Mediterranean. Bouillabaisse is a famous fish soup from Marseille that is made with different sorts of cooked fish. The inhabitants of the city believe that you can only eat the real, ‘ la véritable’ Bouillabaisse in Marseille. That does not change the fact that you can also enjoy a very tasty, and now also, ‘véritable’ at Chez Gilbert in the port of Cassis.
It is clear that Cassis is the place to be in Southern France for sport fanatics, nature lovers and wine enthusiasts. There are activities for everyone, and it is because of that, that they say: “Celui qui a vu Paris, et n’a pas vu Cassis n’a rien vu” (The one whom did see Paris, but did not see Cassis, did not see anything at all).
