Provence is a wine region in the far southeast of France, best known for the quality (and quantity) of its rosé wines and for its Warm, mild Climate. The modernization that is taking place in many of the traditional wine regions of southern France has not yet taken place to the same extent in Provence, but there are Clear signs of change. The region's Grape varieties, in particular, have come under scrutiny in recent decades. Traditional varieties such as Carignan, Barbaroux (Barbarossa from Sardinia) and Calitor are being replaced by more commercially viable varieties such as Grenache, Syrah and even Cabernet Sauvignon.
The term "Varietal improvers" is gaining ground in Provence, as it is in the neighbouring Languedoc-Roussillon. The most successful local varieties, Mourvèdre, Tibouren and Vermentino (known locally as Rolle), have remained in favor, proving their value in Provence wines, in red, rosé and white respectively. The Vineyards of Provence cover an area of France's southeastern coastline that measures about 200 kilometers from east to west. In this definitely Mediterranean climate - no Provencal vineyard is more than 55 km from the Mediterranean - the vines enjoy about 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, as well as an average annual temperature of 14.
5°C.
Sauvignon Gris is a grape variety that originated in France (South-West). It produces a variety of grape specially used for wine making. It is rare to find this grape to eat on our tables. This variety of grape is characterized by small bunches and small grapes. Sauvignon Gris can be found in many vineyards: South West, Languedoc & Roussillon, Cognac, Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Burgundy, Jura, Beaujolais, Armagnac, Provence & Corsica, Rhone Valley, Savoie & Bugey.
Brad Pitt and Emmy Award-winning French producer Damien Quintard have worked together to revamp and redesign the Château Miraval recording studio, which has sat unused for nearly two decades. Renamed Miraval Studios, the venue will reopen in the heart of Provence rosé wine country in summer 2022. It marks a rebirth for the illustrious venue, previously known as Studio Miraval, which was built in 1977 by the estate’s then-owner, French pianist and composer Jacques Loussier. Pink Floyd used the st ...
Disconcerting: I couldn’t forget this bottle for days afterwards. Still can’t. Back in August, wine critic Lin Liu MW (together with her partner Philippe Lejeune of Château de Chambert in Cahors) came to dinner, en route to a short holiday in Provence. One of the bottles Lin brought for us to try together was the 2018 Les Rocheuses, Parcelles No 5 et 6, from Château Le Rey in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux. It came in a slope-shouldered bottle, not a classic Bordeaux bottle. We tried it with some R ...
My book The Complete Bordeaux, which has been revised every five years, is soon to be published in its fourth edition. This may seem like excessive haste, given the scope of the book, but it is astonishing how rapidly changes can take place in the region. Burgundy, in contrast, is relatively stable, since most properties are family-owned and tend to stay that way. But not so in Bordeaux, where there are ample opportunities for newcomers to acquire established properties, as they have been doing ...
