On Le Plan du Castellet—the plateau above the village of Bandol, where Ray-Jane’s vineyards are located—you’re never more than a few miles from the Mediterranean. With constant sunshine and constant wind, grapes achieve even ripening while retaining vivid acidity, and the proximity to the sea imbues the local blancs with a saline edge. The soils here are a mix of pebbly limestone and clay.

Since 1288, throughout countless invasions, revolutions, plagues, and world wars, the aptly-named Constant family has continued farming their vineyards, harvesting fruit, and bottling exceptional wine. In France, Ray-Jane is recognized alongside greats like Tempier, but Ray-Jane is bottled in much smaller quantities and thus seldom makes a star turn on our side of the Atlantic. 

This bottling carries an IGP du Var designation, because some of the source vineyards are situated outside the Bandol AOC (though the soils, etc. are effectively the same). The wine is a blend of Clairette, Ugni Blanc, and several other field-blended local varieties, “direct pressed” to tank upon harvest and fermented in steel at controlled temperatures. The wine is tank-aged and intended for near-term enjoyment.

In the glass, a pale straw-yellow core leads to light green reflections at the rim. The bouquet delivers a beautiful saline kiss of stone fruit and white peach and a hint of green pineapple and yellow and orange flowers, honey, and Meyer lemon. The palate reveals a medium-plus body and a wonderful mix of exotic fruit flavors and classic Provençal garrigue notes.