Château Barbanau - L'Instant rouge 2016

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

This family-run estate, spanning two appellations—Cassis and Côtes de Provence—is now led by the very friendly and dynamic couple Sophie and Didier Simonini-Cerciello. On their 32 hectares of vineyards—including 7 hectares in Cassis known as Clos Val Bruyère—they practice exemplary viticulture, certified biodynamic since 2018. As a result, the vines and soil are thriving, and the surrounding area teems with exceptional biodiversity—even by organic standards. The wines are crisp and well-defined, with, in the Cassis appellation, that briny touch that so perfectly characterizes this terroir. The “Blanc Kalahari” cuvée, whose name was inspired by the couple’s love for Botswana, is well worth the trip: it is one of the estate’s most interesting—and original—wines.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

Émile Bodin founded Clos Val Bruyère in 1889. A century later, Sophie, his great-granddaughter, and her parents took over the few hectares of vineyards they had inherited and breathed new life into this estate. That same year, they acquired Château Barbanau, 23 hectares of vineyards located at the westernmost edge of the Côtes-de-Provence appellation, at an elevation of 360 meters. Today, Sophie and her husband Didier run this château and have been producing biodynamic wines certified by Biodyvin since the 2018 vintage.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France