Provence: the home of rosé wines.Making rosé wines has been one of Provence's specialties for centuries, and an important part of Provençal "art of living". The climate, the "terroirs" (areas with distinct soil and climatic conditions) and the Grape Varieties native to Provence are ideal for making these types of wines. Rosé represents 88% of wine production in the region, with 146 million bottles of Provence AOP rosés produced each year. Provence is France's leading region for AOP rosé wines, representing 39% of domestic production and approximately 5.6% of worldwide rosé production...
Provence's vineyards extend over approximately 200 kms (120 miles) between the Mediterranean Sea and the Alps Mountains in the French departments of the Var, Bouches-du-Rhône and, to a lesser extent, the Alpes-Maritimes. There are three main appellations for the vineyards of Provence:
• the Côtes de Provence appellation and "terroir" designations Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire, Côtes de Provence Fréjus, Côtes de Provence La Londe and Côtes de Provence Pierrefeu
• the Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence appellation
• the Coteaux Varois en Provence appellation
More than a dozen varieties of grapes are used regularly to produce Provence AOP wines... Blending is an ancient tradition amongst Provence's winemakers.