Wines of Provence, or the pink taste of the hills

Provence has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and warm, humid winters. The proximity of the Alps, however, means that although in the middle of January you can sometimes afford to eat lunch in the open air in one of the ports, several kilometers inland we find rag on the grass in the morning. The diversity of the climate also allows you to grow vines, which form one of the finest drinks in the world. We can honestly say that Provence’s wines are the taste of the sun, the taste of naturalness and the tradition of small family appeals …

Wines of Provence: ideal growing conditions

Vines are reported to need 1,500 hours of sunshine during the growing season. There are as many as 3,000 in Provence, which translates into a period of over four months. There are also quite strong winds from the north, which protects the fruit from rotting and cracking. The soils of Provence are very diverse. There is no uniformity here and it’s best to avoid generalizations. So there are perfect conditions for wine growing. It can be said that Provence rose wines, though, surprisingly, more and more vineyards are starting to produce red beverages.

The most important are grapes

In Provence, mainly red strains are grown. First of all, traditional southern varieties: carignan , cinsault , grenache , mourvèdre and tibouren. Noble syrah strains from the Rhone Valley and cabernet sauvignon from Bordeaux are being introduced more and more often. Among white varieties, clairette , rolle and ugni blanc play the most important role. Small amounts of sémillon , bourboulenc and sauvignon blanc are also grown.

Wines of Provence: small regions and family tradition

It is widely believed that vine plants were brought to Provence by Greek colonists, who around 600 BC in the place of today’s Marseille, founded the city Massalia . Some historians suppose, however, that the vines were grown there several centuries earlier. Either way, the vineyards here are among the oldest in France. The vineyards dominated the Provence landscape covering over 43,000 hectares , which is almost half of the arable land. Mostly they are mainly small appeals, i.e. regions specializing in a given wine grape variety or specific wine type. We want to introduce some of them …

The longest-lived red wine of Provence is Bandol . It has been around since 1941. Made with the predominant share of the mourvedre variety, supplemented in different proportions by syrah , cinsault and grenache. Matures at least 18 months in oak barrels. As a result, a full, tannin wine with a characteristic pepper aftertaste is obtained. It can calmly mature 15 years and longer, without losing anything of its strength and wealth. White wines are also produced in Bandol , but not as well-known as red wines and certainly not as noble.

Located near Aix-en-Provence , a small region of only 40 hectares Palette belongs together with Cassis , Bandol and Bellet to the oldest appellations in Provence. The wines produced here enjoy an extremely positive opinion among experts and connoisseurs. Red wines are also produced with a large share of mourvedre . However, they are much more delicate, with a subtle herbal bouquet, complex structure and excellent ripening potential. Rustic white wines are pretty good. Fresh, aromatic and rich, by many experts compared to the best wines from the northern Rhone valley. Unfortunately, the purchase options are very small, because the entire production does not exceed 150,000 bottles.

There should be no trouble buying wine from the Côtes de Provence. Over 17,000 hectares of vineyards provide great quantities of great wines. Virtually 60% of the production is the famous pink Côtes de Provence , i.e. Ros é . They once offended their mediocrity and even mediocrity. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of many producers and enthusiasts of winemaking, they become richer, fuller – better every year. Strains cinsault and mourvedre are usually used for their production. Important additions that make up the brand are noble varieties, syrah and cabernet sauvignon . M ourvedre , as we have said, is a fantastic base for local red wines. Thanks to this, strong, tannin wines with an extremely rich bouquet and taste are made. For even clearer values, it’s a good idea to keep them in your basement for a few years.