Wines of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Vines were introduced to Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azurby the Phoceans and developed in this former Greek colony by the Romans. As with much of France's wine-growing region, viticulture was maintained in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur after the fall of the Empire, first by numerous monasteries and then by the great noble families who settled in the region. Affected by phylloxera, the vineyards of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur gradually recovered from this crisis during the 20th century. Today, production is protected by various appellations, including the regional appellations of Côtes de Provence, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, and Coteaux Varois, as well as prestigious local appellations such as Bandol, Palette, Cassis, and Bellet.

The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azurvineyards extend across the departments of Var, Bouches-du-Rhône, and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, particularly around Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, and Toulon. The climate is obviously Mediterranean, hot and dry. However, the Mistral, a strong wind, brings valuable benefits to this terroir. In summer, it provides a certain coolness. This very dry wind protects the vines of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur from attacks by humidity-related diseases.

The grape varieties used to produce red and rosé wines inProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azurare mainly Syrah, Grenache, Mouvèdre, Carignan and, native to the region, Cinsault and Tibouren. The white wines of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur use grape varieties of Italian origin such as Rolle and Ugni blanc, or local varieties such as Clairette.

Discover the estates of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region: Simone, Saint Maur, Fontcreuse, Romanin, Château de Bellet, Pibarnon, Miraval, Mas de la Dame, Trevallon, Bagnol, Terres Blanches, Bormettes, Barbanau, Richeaume, Minuty, Bastide Blanche, Dalmeran, Sainte Roseline, Clos Sainte Magdeleine, Courtade, Revelette, Suffrene