Wine & Wineries
Wine in Provence may not be as well-known as wine from other French regions, such as Bordeaux or the Côtes du Rhône, but Provencal wine actually has a rich history and is a surprising addition to the cache of any wine connoisseur.
History
Wine has been made in Provence ever since the ancient Greeks founded the city of Marseille, more than 2600 years ago. This long wine culture has resulted in a vast variety of grapes being used in the local wine making process, grapes that hail from Spain and Italy as well as the local varietals.
Rosé or Red?
Ask anyone who knows anything about Provencal wine, and he's likely to wax on and on about rosé, traditional pink wine that nearly everyone in the region drinks, especially on warm summer days when the wine, which is traditionally served cool, is exceedingly pleasant as an accompaniment to local summer dishes like salads and fish.
Rosé in Provence is a dry wine, and most locals drink it where Americans would traditionally drink white wine; white wine in Provence is not terribly popular and is only made in certain regions. Today, rosé accounts for more than half of the production of Provencal wine.
More recently, however, Provence's red wines have been receiving more attention: these wines are spicy and bold, and they hold up well when paired with Provencal winter food, such as hearty bouillabaisse or stewed hare.
Provencal Wine Regions
Provence is made up of eight major wine regions: Côtes de Provence, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, Les Baux-de-Provence, Coteaux Varois, Coteaux de Pierrevert, Bandol, Cassis, Bellet and Palette. Of these, the Côtes de Provence is the largest, and the Bandol is one of the most well-known.
Of these regions, the Bellet is located on the riviera, near Nice. Because of its proximity to Italy, the wine from this region has a decidedly Italian feel to it. The region is one of the few in the area that is famous for its white wine.
Also on the riviera is the Côtes de Provence region, which includes the vineyards near Saint-Tropez. It is here that much of the famous Provencal rosé is made, with a whopping 80% of all wine made in the region being of this type. The grapes used for this well-known wine are varied and include Carignan, Cinsaut, Grenache, Mourvedre, Tibouren, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.
The Bandol wine region, internationally recognized for its quality, is located near Marseille and Cassis on the riviera. Bandol is known for its use of the late-ripening Mourvedre grape varietal, and this grape is used in both the red and rosé wines made in this region. Bandol is the only region in France to use the Mourvedre grape to this magnitude, mostly for reasons of climate.
The Cassis region, located near the Bandol region, is the only Provencal wine region to have a majority of its wine be white: over 75% of this region's wine is white, mainly because of the high density of limestone in the soil.
Classified Estates
Provence along with Bordeaux are unique in France in that they have a classified ranking system for wine estates. All of the fourteen classified estates or crus classés are located on or near the riviera, perfect for easy access: Château de Brégancon in Bormes-les-Mimosas, Clos Cibonne in Le Pradet, Château du Galoupet, Château Sainte-Margeuerite and Clos Mireille in la Londe-les-Maures, Château de Selle and Château de Saint-Martin in Taradeau, Château Saint-Maur in Cogolin, Domaine du Jas d'Esclans in La Motte, Château Minuty in Gassin, Château Sainte-Roseline in Les Arcs, Château de Roubine in Lorgues, Domaine de Rimauresq in Pignans and Château de Mauvanne in Hyères. Many of these crus classés are happy to welcome visitors, however you should call in advance to find out about the opening hours of individual vineyards.
