Provence Rosé

They ooze charm, quality and above all sunshine but... what makes them so good?

Following a fabulously sunny Easter weekend and a recent spell of good weather, our thoughts have raced ahead to Summer and, of course, rosé. And where better to source your rosé from (apart from your fantastic local independent wine shop!) than Provence. They ooze charm, quality and above all, sunshine.

What makes them so good?

Wines from Provence have been in production since around 600 BC from the vast area of vines stretching from the Rhône River in the west to the Côte d'Azur in the east. Early production of wines in Provence up to the mid-1970s was not regarded as of a great quality and generally drunk by the locals. Since the introduction of modern production methods, which happened very slowly and reluctantly with some producers, we can now source fabulous elegant award-winning rosés, each offering something a little different so there is a rosé for everyone.

One way of thinking about how rosé gets its gorgeous colour is to compare it to making a cup of tea. The grape skins are like a tea bag and the longer you leave them in the deeper and more intense the outcome. It is also about the blend used and of course where it is grown.

The majority of all Provence Rosés are made with 95% Rhône style grape varieties which are mainly red, with a few exceptions when local indigenous grape varieties are added. Mourvèdre is one of the key grapes giving big flavours and tannins to the wines and it grows well with the oceanic influences. Grenache is another of the key grapes thriving in harsh stony soils, windy conditions and need cool evenings to add big flavours and retain freshness. Cinsault is another well used grape, sweet berries that bring lightness and polish to the blend. Other grapes used are Tibouran, Syrah, Carignan, sometimes Roll - a white wine (AKA Vermentino).

The climatic conditions of the region are important in the production of wines. Soils are generally harsh limestone or crystalline and susceptible to erosion, but these shallow, well-drained soils are ideal for vine growing. There are a few winds that travel through Provence. In one vineyard in Nimes, Chateau L'Ermitage, our friend Jerôme tells me they have 4 winds from different directions. The most famous many of you will know is the Mistral, which blows down from the Rhône Alps and brings icy cold temperatures with it in Winter but it also brings clean fresh dry air that cleans the vines, helps alleviate humidity and keeps pests at bay.

Elegance and charm are the key traits of great Provence rosé, and sometimes the paler the better as it shows a real skill and reserve of the winemaker to extract flavour and colour precisely to offer maximum style.

Great Provence Rosé to try