Provence means warm weather, the rosé wine and holidays! The vineyards of Provence are located between mountains and sea and allude to charming landscapes throughout the Mediterranean Sea, friendly afternoons sheltered from the sun by the shades of the arbour. Spreading from the south of Arles to Nice, the wines of Provence are mainly rosé wines. Rosé wines of Provence are the most consumed in France but also elsewhere, as they regularly appear on restaurant menus all around the world. But a successful oenological stay in Provence allows you to discover the red and white wines too, even if those are undisclosed vintages in this area. Our wine tour and stay will allow you to discover the typical atmosphere of Provence, where the best things are the simplest. The vineyards of Provence overflow with activities for wine lovers and oenology enthusiasts, but also for history and cultural heritage fans, or even for the gourmets who want to taste the local gastronomy.
Provence is usually referred to as a summer holiday location, with its famous seaside resorts of Antibes, Saint-Tropez or Sainte-Maxime. But the history of the vineyards of Provence is more interesting and dates to the creation of the city of Marseille by the greek people of Phocaea, in 600 BC. They were the first to implement vine stocks and to produce wine in France. Then, the dynamism of viticulture in Provence during Middle-Ages is due to several monastic orders that thrived: Abbeys of Saint-Victor in Marseille, Lérins near Cannes, or Saint-Pons in Nice. But this was René d’Anjou, the “vine-growing king” who mainly contributed to the vineyards of Provence by implementing numerous measures in favour of wine exploitation.
Wine-growing in Provence is clearly influenced by the Mediterranean climate and the dry and chalky terroir in the Alpilles, where the garrigue, pines and olive trees stand alongside the vines. The whole area is bathed in sunlight and windy. All the conditions are reunited to make keen and fruity wines, even if Bandol or Bellet are the land of great vintage wines that can be kept in a cellar several years before being opened.
Provence is frequently associated to summer holidays and long farniente afternoon, but it would be a shame to only summarize it like this. Provence is a wine-friendly region where you can enjoy numerous oenological activities. Wine cellars, domains, Provençal farmhouses and country houses will welcome you and make you discover the oenological, gastronomic and cultural potential of this land where wine-growing is an art. Our wine tour and stay will immerse you in the Provençal way of life, where local wines and Mediterranean food match perfectly together, and will show you that this region is not only about the aperitif.
Stride across the vineyard of Provence and you will discover the only French wine-growing region where the rosé prevails, as nearly 90% of the production is dedicated to this type of wine. The Provence distinguish itself by the wide variety of rosé wines it produces, that match perfectly with the local food, made of grilled fish, rock of lamb, vegetables and tapenade. A colour chart has been created to summarize this diversity of taste and colour, including fruity denominations such as peach, mango, redcurrant or melon. But Provence also produces appealing and surprising red and white wines, that we will be pleased to make you discover during one of our oenological tour. All the different grape varieties, such as Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah or Vermentino enable plenty of blends, and everyone can find a wine that suits her or his taste.