Méditérranée is a PGI title that covers wines produced in a large area of the South-eastern coast of France, roughly corresponding to the wine region of Provence but also including Part of the Rhône Valley. The PGI shares its territory with multiple AOC appellations as varied as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Bandol and Côtes de Provence. The PGI Méditérranée catchment area extends over 10 departments (including the two on the island of Corsica), as well as smaller parts of the Isère, Loire and Rhône departments. Viticulture is essential to the culture and economy of this part of France.
The Terroir is varied, but is largely characterized by the southern edge of the Alps and the Warm, DryMediterraneanClimate. Most of the vineyards are in the hills and valleys of the Alpine foothills, as the higher altitude provides an excellent ripening situation with abundant sunshine and cool nights. The Mistral wind from the North and sea breezes from the south often collide in the spring and autumn, creating periods of heavy rainfall that ensure the vines are well hydrated throughout the growing season. The PGI Méditérranée is widely used, as it provides an alternative geographical indicator without the strict winemaking and grape selection requirements imposed by the region's AOC laws.
On 19 September 2021, the Cumbre Vieja volcanic ridge in the island of La Palma, Spain began a massive, three-month long eruption, that was a catastrophic event for this westward island in the Canarias. The volcanic fumes caused breathing problems as well as the cancellation of flights and fruit harvests, including grapes. Despite 7,000 people needing evacuation from the flow of the lava, there was only one fatality during the entire eruption. As the lava flow eventually covered over 1,000ha, mo ...
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 ...
Château Mouton Rothschild has unveiled the latest iteration of its collection of unique, artist-designed labels. Contemporary artists such as Salvador Dalí, César Baldaccini, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol, have been illustrating Château Mouton Rothschild labels since the 1945 vintage. The label of Château Mouton Rothschild’s 2019 vintage was designed by Berlin-based, Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, who works in a range of fields from painting to digital media. ...
