Where is Provence?
located in southeastern corner of France, stretches from Avignon in west to Nice in east, they have famous cities like Aix-en-Provence, Toulon, Marseille
What is the climate here?
Mediterranean
here experience the Mistral wind as well
What are the soils you can found here?
•limestone and clay-limestone
•calcaire soils
•crystalline
•sandstone and sand
•clay and clay-limestone
•marl and pebbly
What are the common grape varieties?
WHITE:
•Rolle (Vermentino)
•Clairette
•Bourboulenc
•Grenache Blanc
•Marsanne & Roussanne
•Viognier
•Ugni Blanc
•Sauvignon Blanc
RED:
•Mourvèdre
•Grenache
•Syrah
•Cinsault
•Cabernet Sauvignon
•Carignan
•Tibouren (Rossese di Dolceacqua)
•Braquet
What is Tibouren?
also known as Rossese di Dolceacqua
red French variety primarily grown in Provence
(originated from Greece)
What is Saignée Method?
it means bleeding off from a vat of red wine grapes during early fermentation:
- Red wine grapes are harvested and crushed
- The crushed grapes are allowed to macerate (few hours - 2 days)
- A portion (5-15%) of pink-hued juice is then “bled-off” from the vat
- The “bled-off” juice is fermented separately to create rosé wine
- The remaining must continues to ferment into red wine which resulting deeper colour and flavour intensity (higher skin-to-juice ratio)
This method serves dual-purposes, produce rosé wine and concentrates the red wine by reducing the juice volume relative to the skins
How does the saignée method rosé taste like?
•colour is deeper and more vibrant pink hues compared direct pressing
•richer and more robust flavours, offering red berries, cherries and some hint of spice
•higher tannin content, providing more body and potential for aging
How many AOPs are there in Provence? And what are them?
9 AOPs, north-south:
(all can do BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ)
- Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence AOP
- Coteaux Varois en Provence AOP
- Côtes de Provence AOP
- Bandol AOP
- Cassis AOP
- Les Baux-de-Provence AOP
- Pierrevert AOP
- Bellet AOP
- Palette AOP
What is Cotes de Provence AOP?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ
varieties of grape are permitted, but principal varieties min 50% and at least blend of two grapes (Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Tibouren)
5 subzones:
- Sainte-Victoire
- Fréjus
- La Londe (the only one can produce Blanc)
- Pierrefeu
- Notre-Dame des Anges
top producers: Clos Cibonne, Château d’Esclans (Whispering Angel), Domaines Ott, Château Sainte-Marguerite
What are the grand cru estates of Provence? How many of them?
originally 23, now 18 of them:
- Château Minuty (Gassin)
- Château Sainte-Roseline (Les Arcs-sur-Argens)
- Château Sainte Marguerite (La Londe-les-Maures)
- Domaine de la Clapière (Hyères)
- Domaine de l’Aumérade (Hyères)
- Clos Cibonne (Pradet)
- Domaine de Rimauresq (Pignans)
- Domaine de Castel Roubine (Lorgues)
- Château du Galoupet (La Londe-les-Maures)
- Château de Saint-Martin (Taradeau)
- Château de Saint-Maur (Cogolin)
- Clos Mireille (La Londe-les-Maures, part of Domaine Ott)
- Château de Selle (Taradeau, part of Domaine Ott)
- Château de Brégançon (Bormes-les-Mimosas)
- Domaine de Mauvanne (Salins d’Hyères)
- Domaine de la Croix (la Croix-Valmer)
- Domaine du Noyer (Bormes-les-Mimosas)
- Domaine du Jas d’Esclans (la Motte)
What is Bandol AOP?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ
focusing on rouge
blanc: 50-95% Clairette, plus Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc
rouge: 50-95% Mourvèdre, plus Cinsault, Grenache
min aging 18 months in oak
top producers: Domaine Tempier, Château Pibarnon, Domaine du Gros’Nore
What is Cassis AOP?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ
focusing on blanc
made from min 60% combined Marsanne (30-80%) and Clairette, plus Bourboulenc
What is Bellet AOP?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ
blanc: min 60% Vermentino (Rolle)
rouge: min 60% combined Braquet and Fuella Nera
What is Palette AOP?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ
blanc: min 55% combined Picardin, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Clairette Rosé, Furmint
rouge/rosé: min 50% combined Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault
Chateau Simone owns most of the vineyards in here, others are Château Crémade, Château Henri Bonnaud, Château de Meyreuil and La Badiane
What is Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence AOP?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ
blanc: min 50% Vermentino, with Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Sauv Blanc, Ugni Blanc
rouge/rosé: min 70% combined Grenache (dominant), Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Counoise
What is Les Baux-de-Provence AOP?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ
blanc: min 60% combined Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Vermentino, with Roussanne
rouge/rosé: min 60% combined Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah
Domaine de Trévallon is based here but they declassified themselves in 1993 as they use 50/50 Cab Sauv & Syrah (Alpilles Mountain), same to Domaine Hauvette (based in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence)
What is Coteaux Varois en Provence AOP?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ
blanc: min 30% Vermentino, with Clairette, Grenache Blanc
rosé/rouge: min 2 varieties, min 80% combined Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah
Domaine des Triennes is based here, but also declassified themselves to IGP
What is Pierrevert AOP?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ
blanc: min 50% combined Grenache Blanc and Vermentino, with Marsanne, Viognier, Piquepoul Blanc
rosé/rouge: min 70% combined Grenache & Syrah, with Mourvèdre
What are the wines from Domaine Tempier?
- Lulu & Lucien (classic / flagship)
- La Tourtine (single vineyard from sun-exposed Tourtine)
- La Migoua (single vineyard from the steep Migoua hillside)
- Cabassaou (small, intense single vineyard from Cabassaou plot)
