The “Bataille des vins” Reloaded:
Wines from the South of France

In the autumn and winter 2023, we explored the wines from the north of France – the Loire Valley, Alsace and Champagne – and thus the supposedly lighter wines that used to dominate the kings’ table.

Interestingly enough, however, these were not the oldest vineyards planted in what makes the French territory today, as vines had actually been brought by the Greeks to Provence around 600 BC, with a greater expansion and planting happening a few hundred years later thanks to the Romans, especially in what is today Languedoc-Roussillon and the Rhône Valley (la vallée du Rhône).

In this series of tastings that will span over three get-togethers from March to May, we will explore first the powerful and full-bodied wines drank by the Popes from the Rhône valley. Next, the wines from Provence, especially its rosé wines that have been at the forefront of the “pink revolution” with their fresh aromatic scent of red fruits and cool citrus. And ultimately, getting closer to Summer, the innovative and trendy wines from Languedoc-Roussillon.

Each workshop will offer an introduction to the region with the historical background of wine-making, followed by a tasting of five different wines.