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The South of France Part 2: Provence

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Provence is East of Languedoc-Roussillon and considered in a higher regard than the afore mentioned region. Provence with its beautiful Mediterranean weather is a popular tourist destination. Tourists are accustomed to the traditional Provence rosés of high alcohol content. Today winemakers are still producing such wine, but in a similar way to Languedoc-Roussillon, there has been a slight shift toward the more international varieties. 60% of production remains as rosé with another 35% being red. These red wines are blended - up to 30% of the of the mix is usually Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon (by AOC standard) and Carignan can be up to 40%. Some producers are making wines of higher quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon (and thereby not conforming to AOC). Other grapes used in this region are Tibouren, Calitor and Mourvédre - local grapes.

Whites makes up the remainder of wine from this area, which is a little surprising with the 3000 hours of sunshine and lack of rain in this area - whites traditionally favor a cooler climate. The best whites are coming from the more inland areas of Provence such as Bellet which is mentioned below. It is cooler in this region and the reds and rosés are lighter; however Bellet whites are traditionally full bodied and aromatic.

When buying wine from Provence it is worth knowing that there are some renowned appellations in this region. Firstly Bandol which produces wine made from Mourvédre in great quantities and they are known to age well. Secondly Palette - which is a very small region producing significant whites. Then there is Cassis, which produces excellent white wine (Sauvignon Blanc and Ugni Blanc). Lastly, Bellet (inland from Nice) which produces a good range of all three types of wine, although the whites have the best reputation and command a high price! Another thing to watch out for when purchasing is that the winemakers in Provence who are incorporating more international varieties are often bottling their red wine in Bordeaux style bottle (a more squared off shoulder).

Aix en Provence is another AOC area which is well known (Palette can be found within this region) and it is here that the Aix en Provence Enological Institute can be found. This is a University somewhat similar to the Department of Viticulture and Enology which can be found at UC Davis. As a tourist location Provence has much to offer it's visitors and this is only enhanced by its well organized - in the typical French manner - viticultural life. So not only can you visit this specialized University but also many Chateaux are open to the public. Furthermore wine festivals are common in the sub-regions of Provence - e.g. the wine festival of La Cadiére in Bandol every September.

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