Ah, wine! Nectar of the Gods, no? It truly is a spiritual experience at times. Just think about the…read moreself propagation of the grape for a moment. A perfect, juicy fruit that is like catnip to birds. They eat it, and the seeds within, then fly to a different location and take a crap along the way. That crap has grape seeds in it, and is already fertilized by the crap! If that's not divine intervention, I don't know what is. Ok, so we've established that wine is next to godliness, correct? Now let's establish the fact that this vineyard and winery is also heaven sent! As soon as you roll in through their front gates and look across the vineyards you know you're in the right place. Then as you walk inside and sample their wine you know you you've stumbled upon something special, something angelic even! I know, I know, hyperbole much? Ok, guilty as charged. It's just that wine puts a smile on everyone's face, and this place, paired with the wine they produce is seriously something special. Their rose is something to write home to mom about. Primarily of the Grenache varietal, it's light, fruity and refreshing. A solid wine to drink by itself, or pair it with some fish or salads. I'm tellin' ya, if you find yourself wandering about the French Riviera and in the mood for a quick winery tour and tasting, add this place to your list. You'll be glad you did.

An urban winery set in Marseilles, Microcosmos Chai Urbain crafts Provence style wines in red,…read morewhite, and rose. Passion reigns supreme in every hand-produced bottle of wine, as the owners ensure each bottle of wine is a delicate, expressive wine with a good deal of character. I toured the winery with one of my friends, and we got to taste a selection of wines. The owners were so friendly and you can really tell how much they respect their craft. Fabienne really understands the science behind the fermentation of the grapes, and each grape is grown and stored in a special cellar in Marseilles. We sampled a white, red, and two rose wines. The Marvin 2015 pur Mourvèdre de Provence, a gorgeous, fragrant rose wine, was my favorite. I even purchased a bottle to enjoy with lunch. It was light in colour, with subtle fruity notes that were delicious. The wines are refreshing, focusing on the natural flavors of the grape variety, and are never heavy. The owners are a wonderful duo who make the entire winery more than a hobby, but a lifestyle. Their friendly, outgoing personality shows in each of their bottles, and they provide a great experience touring their urban winery. Wine lovers in the heart of Marseilles will find delicious, delicate wines at Microcosmos Chai Urbain. A gorgeous place to enjoy a glass and share a story, as the owners are knowledgeable and ready to pass on their love of fine wines with all their guests. It was a wonderful experience and the wine was delicious!

Craft beers and microbreweries are everywhere. Now it's time for wine business to undergo the same…read moretransformation. Microcosmos is a cool little outfit producing wine on a very small scale, from locally-sourced organic grapes. The approach is traditional, but with a modern twist. This urban winery is also run by two passionate individuals who will be more than happy to share their knowledge with you. Red, white and rose are produced on-site. You can visit, taste and buy at the same time in a relaxed atmosphere. No need to be an expert, or to speak French. Go and have a look if you are in Marseille, you won't be disappointed.

From the owner: Vignerons indépendants, nous commercialisons nos cuvées Côtes de Provence au caveau de vente du…read moredomaine et via notre site internet sécurisé. Nos vignes son produites en agriculture raisonnée et nous travaillons notre terroir avec passion et respect. N'hésitez pas à venir nous rencontrer et déguster nos vins :)

This was a miss. First of all - incredible views. Unbeatable. We were in zero hurry, but the…read moreservice was a mess. Took forever to get our wine, and we finished and waited. And waited. And finally after 45 minutes could order more wine, plus some food. The charcuterie board was a work of art. We ordered scallops but a can of mussels came? We had an 7:30pm reso. Food arrived after 10 (we ordered nothing that required actual cooking). Again this is France, we are in zero hurry, but we would have spent so much more money if they were attentive and asked if you would like more wine. Instead we went mostly dry. Bill came a half hour after asking for it. Come for the views and a drink then leave is my advice.

My wife and I stopped here expecting an afternoon wine tasting, but discovered it's really a…read morerestaurant, so our wine samples were whole glasses. But the ambiance and view alone were worth coming. Best view from this beautiful medieval hilltop town, and the selection of wine was very nice with tasty side dishes. We had and antipasti of roasted vegetables drowning in delicious olive oil, but had to ask for bread to get the olive oil. I would like to try it for dinner. NOTE: Parking is free in the lot to the right at the entrance to the old town. But only 250 spaces are gratis so book your dinner early (7pm) not after 8 like the locals prefer.