Looking for some quality new wines to try? If the wine travel bug took a bite out of you like it did me, it left me wanting to search out and drink wines that are totally new to me – either from a more obscure country or a grape variety I have never even heard of let alone tasted. Traveling to obscure countries or wine destinations is not currently an option for me, but my fingers can definitely travel around the internet researching those countries and grapes. I love a good challenge!
The thrill of that next wine area to research and enjoy is always on the horizon just waiting for me to latch on and become fully committed to it. When I read that the “Wine Enthusiast” Magazine selected Southwest France as the 2017 Wine Region of the Year, I knew immediately that my new wine research project had just arrived!
Most experienced wine lovers are quite familiar with Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and even the Loire Valley, but obviously there are many of us quite unfamiliar with Southwest France. What makes a wine region qualified for this distinction, you ask? According to “Wine Enthusiast”, the nominee “had to prove it had more than wines of good quality; it had to demonstrate its vision, authenticity, and commitment to sustainable excellence.” Southwest France was in very good company with the other nominees being Galicia (Spain), Margaret River (Australia), Sonoma County (California) and Umbria (Italy). I would certainly have hated to make that decision!
I invited some foodie wine lover friends to join me on my Southwest France armchair travel adventure, and they eagerly agreed but with one stipulation: first we need to visit the wines of the Rhone Valley —more specifically the Southern Rhone and Provence. This region is one of their favorites. They have visited it numerous times and can contribute valuable first hand experience. So my adventure has just doubled in size and now will be in two parts. Before reaching our final destination, we are stopping off in another part of France – the Southern Rhone Valley and Provence. It is time to revisit some old wine “friends” in the Rhone Valley before making new friends in Southwest France. If I went to France, I would want to be armed with this knowledge.
Destination #1: Southern Rhone Valley and Provence
The entire Rhone Valley has more than 30 different AOPs/AOCs and is the second largest appellation in France – second only to Bordeaux. There are more than 71,000 hectares (175,000 acres) of vines planted here plus 27,500 more hectares (680 acres) in Provence. More than 400 million bottles of wine are produced here annually.
The valley takes its name from the Rhone River which begins in the Swiss Alps, flows through the Jura Mountains, then taking a sharp turn south of Lyon where it begins its 250 mile journey to the Mediterranean, just west of Marseille. The Northern Rhone Valley, sometimes called the Cotes du Rhone Septentrionales, begins near the village of Vienne 20 miles south of Lyons and continues 45 more miles southward to the city of Valence. The Cotes du Rhone Meridionales (Southern Rhone Valley) begins south of Montelimar and on for 50 more miles to Avignon. The two parts follow the Rhone River for nearly 125 miles, with a gap of about 30 miles between the North and South. The North is smaller and considered more prestigious, but the South is larger and better known.
The wines from each are distinctly different, and close to 95% of all Rhone wines come from the Southern part of the valley. What makes these two areas of the valley so different? The Southern climate is Mediterranean; the landscape is flatter than the North; mistral winds blow down the valley and vines are kept low to the ground “gobelet style” in order to protect them; temperatures can be very hot during the day and quite cold at night; the range of alluvial soils has sand, gravel, clay, limestone and large pebbles called galets that store heat to warm the vines at night. This is where we are heading for Destination #1.
So what should you expect when tasting wines from the Southern Rhone Region? Wines will generally be lighter, more open and more alcoholic than Northern Rhone wines. They are much fruitier with red fruit flavors instead of black and often with fresh Provençal herbs, olives and spicy accents. You can find all types of wine here from sparkling to white, rosé to red plus a few sweet wines. Most of these wines can be enjoyed now without cellaring; however the best wines can be aged for decades. There are more than 380 million bottles of wine produced annually in the Southern Rhone.
While Syrah is the only red grape permitted by law in the North, there are 15 red grapes allowed in the south. Grenache is the most widely planted and leading grape in Southern Rhone. Wines of the Southern Rhone are are all about blending! And Syrah and Mourvèdre are used frequently in the blend. This is GSM country…….or maybe GMS! Similar wine blends are known globally as “GSM”. (I still remember the very first GSM I ever tasted, and it was from Australia.) White wines in Southern Rhone are usually a blend, too and you will increasingly find Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne, grapes widely used in Northern Rhone, working their way into Southern Rhone white blends.
Just to keep it really interesting, we can’t forget that France labels her wines by region and not the grape variety. You can read about the French wine classification system later in this article. This system can actually be quite helpful since there are so many varieties and many of the regions blend them together, therefore if you learn a little bit about the regions you will have a much better idea of what to expect from a bottle of wine that says “Gigondas”, for example. You can be assured that the wine is made from at least 50% Grenache.
Appellations of the Southern Rhone, their grapes and wines
There are 27 grape varieties in the Southern Rhone and 31 in the entire valley, North and South.
Grapes of the Southern Rhone:
Reds: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, Counoise, (only in Tavel and Châteauneuf-du-Pape), Muscardin (Châteauneuf – du – Pape), Vaccarese, Picpoul (Piquepoul) Noir, Terret Noir, Calitor, Red Muscat, Marselan, Grenache Gris and Clairette Rosé
Grenache typically displays red berries (raspberry, strawberry, cranberry) and peppery spice.
Syrah contributes dark berry, licorice and black pepper flavors as well as body and structure.
Mourvèdre displays high levels of tannin as well as meaty aromas and flavors.
Whites: Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Viognier, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Muscat, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Gris, Ugni Blanc, Picardin, Rolle (only in Costieres and Luberon), Macabeu (Costieres only)
Châteauneuf-du-Pape – “new castle of the pope” is the best known appellation of the South Even if you don’t remember ever having wine from the Southern Rhone Valley, odds are that you have had a Châteauneuf-du-Pape at some time in your life, and it surely would have been memorable! Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the undisputed king of Southern Rhone, and it can use some or all 13 grape varieties. These wines typically have notes of fresh cherries, strawberries, kirsch, black raspberries, black pepper, spice, earth and garrigue. They range in style from elegant and lush to full bodied and concentrated, traditional to modern depending upon the winemaker. Many of the grapes here come from gnarled 100 year old vines that produce the intensity of flavor and concentration that is famous in this region. It is also famous for the mistrals, 60 mile per hour or more frosty dry winds that help keep the air and fruit clean plus naturally removes insects, disease and excess water.
Here are the famous “Châteauneuf thirteen”. How many can you name?
Reds – Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Muscardin, Counoise, Vaccarèse, and Terret Noir.
Whites – Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Picpoul, Picardan
Note: If you count to verify like I do, you will discover 14 grapes. The official word is that Grenache Blanc is counted independently from the red Grenache.
Five per cent of the region makes a wonderful dry, white Châteauneuf-du-pape which is also generally quite memorable.
This region was granted appellation status in 1936; however, it has really gained in popularity since the late 1990s when its wines were introduced to the rest of the world. Prior to that there was very little interest outside of Southern France. Some people think that Robert Parker deserves a lot of credit for this upswing in popularity with his continuous writing about the greatness of the wines. Just a few of the top producers here are Beaucastel, Chapoutier, Guigal, Saint Cosme, Vieux Télégraphe and Xavier. Whether your preference is for traditional wine made in older neutral massive barrels and cement vats or a more modern style made in new oak, the choices are many and you probably won’t go wrong!
During the 14th century, the pope didn’t live in Rome. He lived in Avignon right outside of the vineyards. The Pope may have been relocated back to Rome, however this era in history will always be remembered whenever you look at a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and see the papal crown and St. Peter’s keys embossed on estate grown bottles. The original bottle was created in 1937 by the union of the owner of the appellation. It not only promotes the wines but is also a guarantee of authenticity.
The 8,000 plus acres of Châteauneuf-du-Pape may be THE most important wine producing appellation, but there are other recognized quality AOC appellations and adjacent communes in the Southern Rhone that are making great wine.
Other appellations of the Southern Rhone
Cotes du Rhone produces some of the best wine values of the Rhone. Wine drinkers who recognize good quality value wines love wines from the Cotes du Rhone. You can drink them early and they don’t break the bank! They are packed with ripe red berries and are meant to be enjoyed when released and are extremely food friendly. You can pair them with many meats, fish, shellfish and cheeses.
They come from two different designations: regular Cotes du Rhone (covers 171 communes) and displays only the region or the more prestigious, Cotes du Rhone Villages (allowed for 95 communes). And even more special is the Cotes du Rhone Village with the name of the village on the label ( allowed for just 21 villages as of 2017). The producer can put the name of the village on the label, and some of these wines are the among the best values in French wine. Cru are the 16 named appellations which display only the name of the cru and not Cotes du Rhone.
The Cotes du Rhone appellation is the largest appellation in the Southern Rhone and is second in size only to Bordeaux producing close to $100 million worth of wine annually. 89% of all wines are red, 7% rosé and 4% white with the dominant red grape being Grenache. Grenache Blanc is the most important white grape. Parts of this appellation have terroir identical to Châteauneuf-du-Pape — some of the vineyards may be just across the road or only a single row of grapevines away! Look for some of these very well known vintners: Chapoutier, Beaucastel, Vieux Télégraphe and Perrin et Fils.
Gigondas is a fairly young appellation separated from the Cotes du Rhone and granted AOP status in 1971. It’s 1233 hectares of vines are located just northeast of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and have three main terroirs: gravel and clay in the flat areas, gravel and sand at the bottom of slopes, and hillsides with rocks, limestone and clay. Grenache is the most important grape here. The AOP requires at least 50% of it in a Gigondas. These are wines of good quality and extremely well priced. Some vintners to know here are: Saint Cosme, Santa Duc and Perrin et Fils.
Lirac was created in 1947, has 715 hectares of vines, and 80% of its wines are red. All wines must be blends and Grenache must be at least 40% of the vineyards plantings. Lirac is located on the border that separates the Southern Rhone Valley from Languedoc-Roussillon.
Rasteau is just 47 hectares in size and is located north and east of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It finally became an AOP in 2010 for its dry red wine. Since 1944 Rasteau AOP labelled wines had to be a unique sweet red fortified wine, Vin Doux Naturel Rasteau, which is produced from Muscat grapes. There are high percentages of Mourvèdre in Rasteau red blends.
Tavel can only make rosé and was created in 1936 with 902 hectares under vine. Tavel rosé must be made from the 9 authorized grape varieties, and all wines must be a blend with no more than 60% of any single variety. There isn’t much on the ground here except rocks, but many wine lovers swear that this is the best rosé in the world! It is often referred to as the “wine of kings”. Guigal is a big name here.
Vacqueyras was part of the Cotes du Rhone until granted AOP status in 1990, Vacqueyras has 1406 hectares under vine located slightly east of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and due south of Gigondas. 95% of the region makes red wine with 4% rosé and 1% white. Grenache is dominant followed by Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault.
Beaumes-des-Venise became a red wine AOP with just 27 hectares in 2005. Beame-des-Venise is the smallest appellation in the Rhone Valley that produces red wine. “Beaume” means cave or grotto in French, and it is close to a series of caves placed in the neighboring hillsides. It is not far from Vacqueyras, just east of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and close to the Rhone River. All of its wines must be blends with Grenache being a minimum of 50% and the next 25% coming from Syrah.
Muscat de Beaumes-des-Venise has been an appellation since 1945. Its namesake wine is the sweet fortified dessert wine made from Muscat, the only allowable grape in the appellation, making it the wine to know here. The French call their sweet fortified dessert wine a VDN or “Vin doux Naturels”. Dry red wine from this appellation is sold as Cotes du Rhone wine.
Cote du Luberon is at the tip of the southeastern portion of the South, was created in 1988 and has 3,300 plus hectares of vines. Rosé is the wine to know here with vineyards planted in a minimum of 60% Grenache and Syrah.
Cote de Ventoux, with 5700+ hectares and appellation designated since 1973, was classified as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1990. According to UNESCO, “biosphere reserves are areas comprising terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems. Each reserve promotes solutions reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use”. It is located in the southeast part of the valley almost bordering Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Most of the vineyards are close to the slopes of Mount Ventoux, and it is probably the only appellation in the Southern Rhone to see snow in winter. Wines here are lighter, fresher and less alcoholic than most of the Southern Rhone. Cote de Ventoux produces 60% red, 35% rosé and 4% white with Grenache being THE red grape and Clairette THE white grape of the appellation. Xavier Vins and Chateau Pesquie are some names you may know.
Cote de Vivarais is in the northwestern part of the Southern Rhone Valley, has 321 hectares of vines and became an appellation in 1999. 53% of the wine is red, 41% is rosé and 6% is white. Grenache and Grenache Blanc are the grapes to know here.
Costières de Nimes, previously named Costières du Gard until 1989 and part of Languedoc, was moved to the oversight of the Rhone Valley in 2004. Located at the border of Provence and Languedoc, it produces mostly red wines from Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. The resulting wines are generally elegant, well balanced, lightly structured with aromas of red fruit, blackberry, prune and black cherry. Whites makes up a very small percentage and must be a blend of at least two varieties. Some light, dry, well balanced and delicate rosé is made.
Vinsobres was granted AOP status in 2005. Vinsobres is a village in the northeastern corner of the Cotes du Rhone region. Most of the reds here have more Syrah than typical due to a slightly cooler climate that Syrah grapes enjoy.
Duché d’Uzes was granted AOP status in 2012. Its 282 hectares under vine are on the far western part of the Southern Rhone Valley. All wines must be produced from blends and 62% are red, 19% white and 19% rosé. Duche d’Uzes has one of the longest histories in the Rhone as the ancient Greeks may have planted vines here about 500 BC.
Grignan – les – Adhémar was renamed from the Tricistan AOP in 2011. It seems that Tricistan is also the name of a French nuclear power plant. It is also the northernmost appellation in the Southern Rhone. Locals drink most of the wine right here in the appellation. It is best known for red wines from Grenache and Syrah (80% max either singularly or combined) and white wines from Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Bourboulenc.
Cairanne is a real newcomer to the list of AOPs with its 2016 acceptance, making it the 17th appellation to get CRU status and no longer requiring it to put Cotes du Rhone on its labels. Cairanne borders on both the North and the South and brings together the typical grapes of both.
Clairette de Bellegarde is probably the smallest appellation in all of France. It consists of 40 hectares and only 16 are planted in vines. Clairette Blanc is the only grape allowed.
Clairette de Die is a natural sparkling white wine made from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (75% minimum) and Clairette (25%) maximum. It was established as an AOC in 1942 and has 300 vineyards. You can find it 20 miles east of the Rhone River in the picturesque Drome Valley. The wines are produced by a unique method called the Traditional or Methode Dioise Ancestrale, which is different than the Traditional Method of Champagne. The must is rapidly cooled just after crush, then bottled before the initial fermentation. The wine ferments slowly over a period of 9 months during which the CO2 is trapped within the bottle.
Cremant de Die was established as an AOP in 1993. It is from the same area and producers as Clairette de Die but is made in the cremant style of vinification by the traditional Champagne method of first fermentation in the vat followed by second fermentation in the bottle. Grapes used include Clairette, Aligote and Muscat.
An IGP of the Southern Rhone
Vaucluse IGP includes red, white and rosé wines produced in the administrative department of Vaucluse located in the heart of the Southern Rhone Valley. It is home to the villages of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Beaumes-de-Venise, and Vacqueyras and the appellations of Ventoux and Cotes du Rhone Villages. An IGP allows growers to make wines that fall outside the AOP level requirements of the appellations. Vaucluse IGP is reserved for still wines, most of which are blended reds. The usual grapes are Syrah and Grenache along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Whites are usually made from Chardonnay.
The Wine Classification System
The Appellation d’Origine (AOC) system began in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape area of the Rhone Valley in the early 20th century. The AOC system guarantees that the wine comes from the appellation or place indicated. It is intended to establish expectations of quality due to the specific requirements that must be followed by growers and producers. The primary requirement is that only permitted grape varieties may be used in each appellation.
France began the process of adopting the European Union classification system in 2012. Here are the three descending quality classifications. You will still see the previous AOC statements on labels for years to come especially on wines with many years of life.
- Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP). Formerly called Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) and still widely used. Designates the highest quality by laws regarding geographical origin of grapes, minimum alcohol level, amount of wine produced per hectare, and methods of production. This level covers about 50% of French wines; however, there are still no guarantees! An AOP can be a large area or a small specific region.
- Indication Geographique Protégée (IGP). Subject to regulations about the geographic origin of the grapes and amount of wine produced per hectare. This covers about 30% of production and quality varies significantly. Formerly called Vin de Pays (VDP). There are now more than 150 IGP/VDP titles on French wine labels, mostly covering locations in the southern third of France. You might find the grape variety on the label as well as the IGP zone. An IGP is the same as PGI (Protected Geographical Indication).
- Vin de France. Wines can be made from grapes grown anywhere in France and can also be a blend. 20% of production falls into this category and quality varies significantly. Formerly called Vin de Table (VDT). A Vin de France is often labeled by grape variety. A wine labeled Vin de France does not necessarily mean it is inexpensive!
- The Vin Delimite de Qualite Superieure (VDQS) category was dropped. Wines in this category were elevated to AOP or lowered to IGP wines.
Major appellations of Provence, their grapes and wines
Provence, another underrated French wine region, is located just south of the Southern Rhone and growing in popularity. It sits along the Mediterranean coast and is only about 150 miles long and 100 miles north to south. It is also the oldest wine producing region of France and home to “The Center for Rosé Research”, the only scientific organization dedicated to studying rosé wine. 88% of the wine produced here is rosé! Provence can give some thanks to wine drinkers of United States for their upswing in rosé sales. Provence is the benchmark for Rosé!
These are the traditional grapes of Provence. There are other more obscure and unique varieties here.
Reds: Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, Counoise, Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon
Whites: Rolle (Vermentino), Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano), Bourboulenc, Clairette, Marsanne, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc
Grapes love to grow in Provence. They get a lot of sunshine, not too much rain, warm days, cool evenings and no pests on the vines. There is a diversity in geography from mountains to slopes to sheltered valleys. Soils range from limestone to granite and even volcanic. What more could grapes ask for? And then there is the very famous Provençal “garrigue” of wild lavender, rosemary, thyme and juniper that grows almost everywhere.
Rosé wine comes in a variety of colors which is one of the resources of The Center for Rosé Research. It seems that there is actually a rosé color scale displaying the top six Provence rosé colors to serve as a reference for professionals and consumers. The colors are officially named: Red Currant, Peach, Grapefruit, Melon, Mango and Tangerine. The Provence rosé flavor profile typically has bright flavors like sweet berries, watermelon, grapefruit, and freshly chopped herbs.
There are 9 main regions (AOCs/AOPs) in the wine region of Provence.
Cotes de Provence is the largest AOP with 20,250 hectares under vine, and the biggest producer. About 75% of the wine from Provence comes from this AOP and 89% of it is rosé usually made from Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Tibouren and Vermentino. It consists of four “sub regions”: Sainte-Victoire, La Londe, Fréjus and Pierrefeu. Cotes de Provence is home to Miraval wines, made famous by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence is second largest in size with 4000 hectares. It produces red, white and rosé wines and is one of the few regions in the Rhone Valley that allows plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon. Rosé is still king and is usually a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Syrah and Counoise. The famous Mistral winds heavily influence this region. Chapoutier is one familiar winemaker you will find here.
Coteaux Varois, “The Heart of Provence” is located in the middle of Provence and makes their rosé from Cinsault, Mourvedre, Grenache and Syrah with Rolle being the dominant white grape. It’s cooler here and the last Provence region to harvest.
Les Baux-de-Provence is the warmest part of Provence and home to Val d’Enfer or “Valley of Hell” which allegedly inspired Dante’s poetry. It is located north of the city of Arles and is named after the fortified 13th century town of Baux. The area is hot and dry thanks to the rugged terrain and the mistral winds, so it is perfect for biodynamic and organic viticulture. Red wines are predominant here, mainly Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Cabernet Sauvignon. Laws of the Appellation require that all wines here must be blends and no two specific grape varieties can make up more than 90% of the blend.
Cassis was the very first AOP of Provence (1936) and you can find it along the Mediterranean coast just east of Marseille. Cassis is THE region of Provence for white wines. Marsanne and Clairette are the primary grapes here that give Cassis wines an elegance and intense aromas of citrus, peach, honey and dried herbs. And yes, you can taste the salt of the sea!
Bandol is Cassis’ neighbor to the east and is known for its rich, intense red wines made with up to 95% Mourvèdre (minimum 50%), Grenache and Cinsault and aged in oak for at least 18 months. Mourvèdre also helps make a very structured flavorful rosé with intense fruit and floral nose. Mourvèdre originated in Spain where it is known as Monastrell. Clairette is blended with Ugni Blanc or Bourboulenc to make some amazing Bandol whites.
Palette At 100 acres, Palette is the smallest AOP of Provence. Twenty-five grape varietals grow here (some never heard of ). Mourvèdre is the main grape in rosé and red wines along with Cinsault, Grenache and a number of unusual grapes. Wines must be aged in oak for 18 months making them similar to wines of Bandol. Whites make up only 37% of production and are often a blend of Clairette Blanche, Picardan, Bourboulenc and some other unusual grapes. Whites and rosés have to be aged at least 8 months.
Bellet is located on the far eastern edge of Provence surrounding the city of Nice. The main white grape is Rolle (Vermentino) and it’s the only Provence AOP permitted to use Chardonnay. You can actually distinguish the aroma of rose petals from a glass of Bellet rosé made from obscure grapes like Braquet. Reds are made from Folle Noire along with Grenache and some Braquet. There are only 150 planted acres here, if that!
Coteaux de Pierrevert became an AOP in 1998 and the most northerly of Provence AOPs. Since it is located in the Alpes de Haute Provence, you will find a definite Rhone influence with red blends of Grenache and Syrah and whites of Grenache Blanc, Rolle, Roussanne and Marsanne. Rosé is very important here but it is not your typical Provençal Rosé, as 50% of the wine must be made “saignée” style. This is the only place this method is allowed.
Some IGPs of Provence
Méditérranée IGP is an IGP covering wines made in a large area of the southeast coast of France roughly corresponding to the Provence wine region plus Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Bandol in the Southern Rhone Valley. The IGP is widely used and many of its wines are rosé made in typical Provençal style from Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault. The small quantity of whites produced are typically made from Vermentino, Viognier and Muscat.
Bouches-du-Rhone IGP is in the administrative department of the same name within the Provence wine region. It is also home to Coteaux Aix-en-Provence and Les Baux de Provence AOPs. Most of the production takes place around the town of Aix-en-Provence in the northeast of the department; however, there is one sub-region specified in the law, the Terre de Carmargue, which lies in the southwest. The IGP allows many grapes and it is interesting to note that typical Bordeaux grapes Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot fair very well here, but are excluded from use in the AOP. You may see many excellent wines made from these varietals under the Bouches-du-Rhone IGP designation. Half of the IGP production is rosé and is made from traditional Mediterranean grapes like Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvèdre.
Some interesting facts about Provence rosé:
The classic rosé bottle is clear and curved a bit like a corset (sometimes called a “flute a corset”) or a bowling pin “skittle”.
There are two ways to make rosé: traditional – crush red grapes and let the skins stay in contact with the juice from a few hours to three days; saignée – some juice is bled off from a red wine fermentation tank to improve the red wine leaving the rosé produced as a sort of a by-product. There is a third way – mix red with white – but this method is illegal in France. Generally speaking the darker the rosé wine, the longer the grape skins have been in contact with the juice and the more tannic and red wine-like is the taste. Paler rosés are currently more popular and this style is dominant in Provence.
Note from the author:
My major objective has been to introduce you to wines or wine regions that may be unfamiliar to you, or maybe you just have not visited wines from these regions lately. The article included some basic information about the regions, their grapes, their appellations and wines hopefully without “information overload”. All of this information is readily available on the internet along with some excellent books written by several reliable wine authors including Hugh Johnson & Jancis Robinson “The World Atlas of Wine”, Karen MacNeil’s “The Wine Bible” and Wine Folly “The Essential Guide to Wine”. I just did the research for you. Please accept my apologies if there is any incorrect data or information; I try my best to verify from several sources. I am an avid wine lover and foodie who also really enjoys researching and continuing to learn something new.
I hope my objective has been met and that you may have a renewed interest in searching out and tasting wines from the Southern Rhone Valley and the Provence. It is hard for me to write about wine without wishing that I had a glass of it in hand to taste! To remedy this situation, I’ll be tasting a number of them soon paired with food appropriate for each region joined by some fellow adventurous wine lovers!
Stay tuned for the following article about our initial reason for taking this wine adventure. Southwest France was selected by Wine Enthusiast Magazine as the wine region of 2017, and we plan to learn all about the region, the appellation, the grapes and the wines!
