Wines Tasting : Provence

Speaker

Eric Sautedé
WSET Advanced Certificate L3

Wines from Provence claim the same ancestry as the ones from the Rhône Valley and the Narbonnaise, thus dating back to the Roman conquest of France some 2,600 years ago. The region’s warm Mediterranean climate, combined with its diverse terroir, creates optimal conditions for grape cultivation, even though it has long been renowned for producing medium quality table wines. Today, its winegrowers manage to prove their know-how in line with an amazing heritage and produce excellent bottles of wine, of which 90% is rosé wine.

It is home to nine wine appellations with AOP status, of which the Côtes de Provence is the most important, followed by Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence and Coteaux Varois en Provence. The other 6 AOP are Les Baux-de-Provence, Pierrevert, Bandol, Cassis, Bellet and Palette. Côtes de Provence provide 75% of the production, and blend several grape varieties, including Carignan, Cinsaut, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Tibouren with an increase in the use of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. To improve quality, producers limit the amount of Carignan used in their rosé and red wine production, using the maximum of 40% permitted in the wine and mandating that at least 60% of the blend be composed of Grenache, Cinsaut, Mourvèdre and Tibouren. The regulations also require that at least 20% of the rosé must be blended from wine produced by the saignée method of maceration.

Provence rosés are pale in color, elegant, and refreshing, often exhibiting notes of red berries, citrus, and delicate floral aromas. Provence also produces red and white wines, with reds showcasing ripe fruit flavors and structured tannins, while whites offer bright acidity and vibrant citrus and stone fruit characteristics. Provence rosés are the perfect match for a the start of a warm Mediterranean summer…

All wines for this workshop are provided by The Wine Guild and East Meets West Fine Wines.