Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Blanc “Caganis” 2019

From old vines in the most well-regarded sector of the appellation—on the breeze-buffeted slopes immediately under the limestone promontory of La Couronne—the Genovesis craft the “Caganis” (“last-born” in old Provençal). As with their flagship white wine, Marsanne and Clairette dominate here, but the blend is fleshed out by Ugni Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc and Pascal Blanc. Fermented and aged entirely in steel, the “Caganis” is both ample and profoundly mineral, with notes of marzipan and waxy orchard fruit complementing the brighter citrusy tones. Its minerality is awe-inspiring: simultaneously smoky, crystalline and intensely persistent, particularly on the wine’s long, tunneling finish. Aging seaside white wines is perhaps not a common practice, but Sébastien notes that the “Caganis” will improve for at least a decade in the cellar, which is easy to understand given its remarkable concentration and tension.