VINEYARDS

The production area for Cotes de Provence wines is limited to 18,000 hectares, of which 4/5ths are situated in the Var "departement" and the rest in the Bouches-du-Rhone "departement" and in one commune of the Alpes-Maritimes "departement".

Sometimes on terraced slopes (called "restanques"), sometimes on pine tracts, the vineyards offer a great variety of geographical positions. The soils, however, are all permeable. stony and poor in topsoil. The climate is Mediterranean: hot, dry summers and low humidity concentrated at the beginning of spring and the end of autumn. The Mistral blows from time to time; cold and dry, it inhibits the development of cryptogamic diseases.

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GRAPE VARIETIES

Red and roses are produced basically from Cinsault, Mourvedre, Grenache, Carignan, Tibouren, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes.
White wines come from Ugni blanc, Semillon, Clairette and Vermentino locally called "Rolle".

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Wines of Provence

Red Cotes de Provence will be served at from 14 to 16c, for young wines, and 16 to 18c for headier wines, with game, meats with sauces and cheeses.
As for white Cotes de Provence, served at from 8 to 10 c, its fineness and fruitiness predestines it quite naturally to accompany fish and shellfish.

The "Cotes de Provence" appellation applies to rose wines but also to reds and whites. The roses, representing 60 % of production, are obtained basically by "bleeding": the pressed juice is coloured through contact with the grape skins which contain natural pigments. Colouring intensity depends on maceration time which may vary from 4 to 18 hours according to the type of wine desired. Red wines represent about 35 % of overall production.

According to the specific local soil, wines are either supple and fresh and scented with flowers and red fruit (made by slow maceration), or they are rugged and long-keeping and sometimes aged for several months in oak casks.
As for white wines, their volume is limited to 5 % of total production. Their true aromatic qualities, however, should enable them to progress in the future.

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Shelf life Provence Wines

Beginning with their very first years, Cotes de Provence wines are highly supple, fresh and fruity. Numerous red and rose wines, however, are very good-keeping and benefit from several years' ageing in cellars.

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Southern Rhone Vineyards

Whilst the vineyards of the northern Cotes du Rhone are planted in terraces, those of the Southern part are laid out on the hill sides. They are more extended and the soil in clayish chalk often with large amounts of stones. In the south the climate is warmer, with long summers bathed in sun but without rain. This results in grapes that are full of sugar and therefore in more powerful wines. The southern Cotes du Rhone begin at Bourg-Saint-Andreol and finish just south of Avignon. Characteristics of the different southern appellations

Lirac
This vineyard covers some 2,900 hectares divided among four villages : Lirac, Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres. Saint-Ginies-de-Comolas, Roquemaure. In the XVlth century the latter was an important port on the river Rhone from which were shipped wines towards Paris, England and Holland. Already in those days the wines produced were of excellent quality. Nowadays the Lirac appellation is given to red, white and rose wines produced from vine planted in the red and stony soil coming from the hillocks made of silicate on the right bank of the river. The varieties used are: Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah for the red wines and Clairette, Ugni Blanc and Bourboulene for the whites. In 1980 the red and rose wines produced amounted to 20,000 hectolitres whilst the whites accounted for 330 hectolitres only. The white wines are very rare and have a pronounced bouquet and are very fine. The roses are crisp. The reds are powerful, well balanced and have a remarkable bouquet.

Tavel
Has always been considered as France's greatest rose wine. Already famous in the Xlllth century it was a great favourite of the King of France Louis XIV and later Balzac and the poet Mistral. The vineyard covers some 800 hectares of poor soil made up of sand and chalky sandstone with some clay. The grape varieties used are the Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Picpoul and Bourboulenc. The yield per acre is limited strictly to 42 hectolitres.
In 1980 the production amounted to some 35.000 hectolitres. In its youth the wine of Tavel has a brilliant pink colour, which takes on a topaz tinge with age. This is an elegant, crisp, dry, powerful and yet fruity wine; it has a slight peppery taste which is brought out when the wine is served very cold.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape
The history of the wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is linked not only to the history of France but also to that of the papacy. When Jacques Duet. born in Cahors, was elected pope in Avignon, he remembered the small village of Chateauneuf which he had known whilst he was bishop of Avignon. He caused a castle to be built there and we can now see its ruins, he also caused vine and other plants to be planted. Of course the vine had always flourished in that region but it was Pope John XXII who gave it its fame. Faithful to this glorious past, the vine growers of Chateauneuf-du-Pape tend with great care the 3,000 hectares of vine growing among very large pebbles results of the erosion of lower AIps by the river Rhone. The wines produced are red for the at night thus ensuring that these grapes always reach a high degree of maturity. In 1980 the vineyard of Chateauneuf-du-Pape produced 98,350 hectolitres of red wine and only 2.700 hectolitres of white.
Each grape variety used brings something particular to the wine. They are Grenache, Clairette, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvedre, Picpoul, Terret Noir, Counoise, Muscadin, Vaccarese, Picardan, Roussanne et Bourboulenc.
The white wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape have an incomparable bouquet and fruit. The reds are powerful, heady, warm and full-bodied. They have a dark ruby red colour and their bouquet is a magnificent blend of spices, raspberries, truffles and all the herbs of the moors around the vineyards.

Gigondas
A very ancient vineyard, once part of the domain of the Princes of Orange. Nowadays it covers some 800 hectares, which produced in 1980 some 37,120 hectolitres of red and rose wines from the following varieties : Grenache noir, Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre. These wines must have a minimum alcoholic content of 12.5%. The rose wines are dry and fruity with a herbal bouquet. The reds are powerful, perfectly balanced with much body. Like the Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines. they must be produced from a crop which has had all the bad or damaged grapes removed.

Shelf Life
The white and rose wines are very pleasant consumed young but the Tavel can easily age up to 5 yea rs. The reds are at their best after five years generally, although Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas can reach ten years or more.

Advice from the Sommelier
The white wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape served well chilled, say at 7 or 80C, make a wonderful aperitif and are excellent with fish and sea food. The roses, whether they be Lirac. Tavel or Gigondas, must also be served chilled at between 8 and 10c: they accompany perfectly hors-d'oeuvre, delicatessen meats or can be enjoyed throughout the meal. The red wines, particularly those of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas. which have a pronounced bouquet, can accompany wonderfully game, venison or strong cheese.

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