One region? I think not (Provence, France – Day Two)

Provence is yet another of those regions that is often thought of in one general way and also associated with a particular type of wine; rosé. Like so many other regions it is impossible to think of this region as one thing, because it is not only very large (one of the largest in France), but extremely diverse in terms of micro-climates, soil types, aspects and altitudes. Wine styles can differ, as can philosophies about the making of the wine. Many of the vineyards of Provence are individual growers who are part of a cooperative, which at the moment is churning out very simple, thin and watery rosé which is fuelling a very large global market for refreshing aperitif wine that can be served very cold, sometimes with an ice cube. Whilst this type of wine may be reflective of the market in general, and a reflection of the warm weather enjoyed in this part of Europe, it is not necessarily reflective of the many parts of Provence. From the coast to the forest-covered mountains, Provence has the potential to produce a great range of wines, from as many different varieties. A number of smaller producers are committed to this, and several appelations have sprung up in the last 50 years, two of which I visited today to learn more.

Gnarly vines at Domaine de Triennes

The best rosé in the world? (Provence, France – Day One)

Some places on the planet have been blessed with immortality as tourism hotspots, and are so popular you wonder what all the fuss is about. These are the kinds of places that hard-core travellers avoid, for some obvious and not so obvious reasons. The obvious reasons are they tend to be tourist traps, where you are commonly charged exorbitant prices for mediocre quality and service. These places are also filled with tourists, who can be loud and obnoxious, and cause you to wait in lines to see some of the highlight attractions. There must be however, a reason why these places became so popular, whether it be culture, history, beauty or all of the above. One place I have been to where it is almost not worth the effort is Venice, a place where no-one really lives and works apart from feeding the insatiable tourism industry. Many of these places are so charming and beautiful that you are willing to forego the prices hikes and crowds, such as Rome, New York and Rio de Janeiro. The Cote d’Azur or the Provencal cost has been one of the most popular places for tourism in France for centuries, and is certainly well deserving of this honour. The coast itself is simply stunning, sometimes with mountains sitting merely metres away from the shore. When I first visited France in July 2010, I remember driving up the motorway back to Lyon after visiting Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and seeing the bumper-to-bumper traffic heading south. Now I understand what all these people were willing to undertake, as even a few days here has a rejuvenatory effect on you. Luckily the region also makes some stunning wines, and is the home of an entire style of wine; rosé. To put it into perspective how important this wine style is to Provence, they produce more rosé than Australia produces wine.

What will these little gems become?