Winemaking has gotten complicated with all the techniques and equipment flying around. As someone with extensive winemaking experience, I learned everything there is to know about crafting wine. Today, I will share it all with you.
Provence Wine: Rose Paradise and So Much More
I spent two weeks in Provence a few years back, and I will be honest – I went for the lavender fields and the Mediterranean coast. The wine was almost an afterthought. Big mistake on my part. Or maybe the best accident that ever happened to my palate.
Provence completely changed how I think about rose. Before that trip, I had dismissed rose as picnic wine, something you drink when you cannot decide between red and white. Now I have a dedicated section in my cellar for the stuff, and I have even tried making my own (with mixed results, but that is another story).
The Geography That Makes It Special
Provence sprawls across southeastern France, from the Rhone River all the way to the Italian border. The region is massive – we are talking about an area that includes Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, and all those picturesque villages you have seen in travel magazines.
What makes the wine special is the landscape itself. Rocky limestone soils that stress the vines and concentrate flavors. Mediterranean breezes that cool things down just enough. Hillsides that drain beautifully after the occasional storm. It is not one terroir – it is dozens, maybe hundreds of distinct microclimates packed into a relatively small region.
The Calanques near Marseille, these dramatic white cliffs plunging into turquoise water, sit right next to some vineyards. The Luberon has those ochre-colored villages perched on hilltops, with vines planted on the slopes below. Every time you turn a corner, the landscape changes. The wines do too.
Yes, It Is Mostly About the Rose
I cannot talk about Provence without acknowledging the obvious: this region produces something like 40 percent of France rose. And honestly? They have earned that dominance.
Provence rose is different from other roses. It is paler – often just a whisper of salmon or coral color. The flavors run toward citrus, white flowers, and herbs rather than the strawberry-candy sweetness you find in cheaper roses from other regions. There is a dryness and freshness that makes you want to drink glass after glass on a hot day.
The main appellations for rose are Cotes de Provence (the biggest), Coteaux d Aix-en-Provence, and Coteaux Varois en Provence. There are others, but these three account for most of what you will find at wine shops.
Bandol makes rose too, and while it is more expensive, there is a depth there that is worth seeking out. These roses can actually age a bit – I have had three-year-old Bandol roses that were fantastic, which goes against everything I thought I knew about rose being strictly a drink-it-young wine.
But Do Not Ignore the Reds and Whites
Here is where I have to push back against the rose obsession. Provence makes genuinely interesting reds that most people overlook because everyone is too busy photographing their pink wine by the pool.
Bandol reds, based primarily on Mourvedre, are the stars. Dark, brooding, tannic when young, but with an ability to age that surprises people. I bought a case of 2015 Bandol that I am still working through, and each bottle seems better than the last. These are serious wines that deserve serious attention.
Les Baux-de-Provence makes structured reds too, often from organic or biodynamic vineyards. The area attracted a lot of progressive winemakers, and it shows in the quality.
White wines are rarer but worth hunting. The Cassis appellation (yes, like the liqueur, but this is dry white wine) makes refreshing whites perfect with the local seafood. I had a Cassis white with bouillabaisse in a little restaurant in Marseille that I still think about.
A Few Producers I Actually Like
After my trip, I became mildly obsessed with finding good Provence wines stateside. Some that have consistently delivered:
Domaine Tempier for Bandol – both their rose and their reds are benchmark stuff. Not cheap, but worth it.
Chateau Simone makes a white that is unlike anything else from the region. Weird in the best way. Ages beautifully if you can keep your hands off it.
Domaines Ott is the fancy one – those distinctive bottles look great on a table. The wine inside is genuinely good, though you are paying a premium for the brand.
For everyday rose, I have been happy with Chateau d Esclans (they make Whispering Angel, which is everywhere) and Commanderie de Peyrassol. Neither will change your life, but both are solid and widely available.
Food and Provence Wine
The food pairing in Provence is almost too easy because the wine evolved alongside the cuisine. Rose with grilled fish, bouillabaisse, socca (that chickpea flatbread from Nice), ratatouille, tapenade – it all just works.
But I have had great luck breaking the rules too. Bandol red with lamb, obviously. But also with duck confit, beef stew, even a rich mushroom risotto. These are Mediterranean wines, so they pair well with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors – think olive oil, herbs, lemon, garlic.
The mistake I see people make is treating Provence rose like a delicate thing. It is not. It can stand up to flavorful food, spicy dishes, even grilled meats. Do not be precious about it.
Visiting Provence for Wine
If you ever get the chance to visit, a few recommendations based on my trip:
Do not try to see everything. The region is bigger than you think, and the roads are winding. Pick one or two areas and explore them properly rather than rushing around.
Make appointments at the serious estates. Many of the best wineries are not set up for walk-ins. A quick email a week ahead can get you a private tasting that is infinitely better than the tourist track.
Visit in late June for the lavender, September for the harvest, or April and May to avoid crowds entirely. Summer is beautiful but crowded and hot – not ideal for wine tasting, honestly.
Stay in a village rather than a big city. Aix-en-Provence is nice, but the small villages in the Luberon or near Bandol are where you really feel the region character.
Making My Own Provence-Style Rose
After falling in love with Provence rose, I obviously had to try making my own. Spoiler: it is harder than it looks.
That pale color requires either very brief skin contact or the saignee method (bleeding off juice from a red wine fermentation). I have tried both. My first attempt was way too dark – more like a light red than a rose. The second batch was better but lacked the freshness I was going for.
The lesson I learned: Provence winemakers have generations of expertise in this style. I am still figuring it out. But that is part of the fun – having a reference point to aim for and slowly getting closer with each vintage.
Maybe next year I will nail it. Or maybe I will just keep buying the real thing and practicing on the side. Either way, Provence gave me a new obsession, and I am not complaining.
