Decades ago, I spent a summer in Paris between my junior and senior years in college. As I immersed myself in French culture from sun-up to sundown, my love for travel was solidified as was my new-found adoration of good wine paired with food. A particularly fond memory of that summer was the annual Bastille Day celebration in Paris. Parades, picnics, and dancing during the day and spectacular fireworks that night still hold a special place in my heart with its joie de vivre!
Lately, though, my thoughts have shifted to Provence in the south of France where sunny days and a moderate climate are an inspiration to many. Sun drenched beaches, historic ramparts, Mediterranean cuisine, wine, and a plethora of artwork from Picasso, Chagall, and Van Gogh (just to name a few) are waiting for the curious traveler. If you are there now, many Bastille Day celebrations are planned in every village, so explore your options. From fireworks over the sea in Cannes to La Fete Nationale a Mougins in Mougins, there are special soirees and adventure for you. And when the evening comes and the sky bursts with light and color, what better wine to sip than Provence rosé ? Ranging from a pale ballet slipper hue to a rich pomegranate color, these glorious roses express the nuances of the Provencal region in which the grapes were cultivated.
Provence Rosé Wines Offer a Range of Styles
Once you taste, you’ll know. Rosé wines from Provence are dry – a vast difference from the cloyingly sweet “blush” wines that come to mind when offered a glass of something pink. Produced from Provencal varieties, Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvedre, Tibouren, Carignan, and Cabernet, wines I’ve tasted are crisp and exhilarating. I also appreciate the range of styles; many are light, almost airy, while others are full bodied and exude a distinct palate profile with plenty of backbone and complexity.
This variety in style contributes to the fact that rosé may just be one of the most food friendly wines on the planet. Paired with international cuisine (Japanese, Thai, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean…), American favorites (burgers, steak, appetizers, salads, sandwiches…), and seafood (grilled fish, crab, lobster…), I’m always able to find a rosé that complements any recipe I’d love to try or menu item I’m craving from a favorite restaurant. Just a few years ago, I attended an event hosted by Wines of Provence. At the event we tasted an array of wines from the different appellations of Provence and sampled a plethora of dishes. Savory selections included Italian beef sandwiches with giardiniera, roasted carrots with sesame-miso, dates, white soy vinaigrette, and puffed grains, Spanish fish escabeche, Thai beef salad, pork porchetta tonnato, and roasted beet salad with goat cheese, candied walnuts, and walnut vinaigrette. The sweets table offered apricot and foie gras macaron and fresh fruit tart with vanilla custard.
Provence Rosé Wines to Find Now
Following are five highly recommended wines (sent as samples) that I have recently swirled, sipped, and savored. Ready for a celebration? Enjoy!
From the Loire Valley, Excellence Brut Rosé from Bouvet-Ladubay is a sparkling rosé of 100% Cabernet Franc, a signature grape of the region. It was made using the methode traditionelle process, like Champagne, whereby the second fermentation is in the bottle. Aged for a minimum of nine months, once opened, the bubbles lasted from the first sip to the last. On the nose, savory herbs and ripe orchard fruit were rich and enticing. Fresh flavors were mineral and acid driven with notes of brioche, raspberries, and strawberries. We enjoyed a vegetable quiche with this beauty and you should too either warm at brunch or cold for a picnic!
by Ott Rosé 2025 AOC Cotes de Provence is a magical blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 7% Mourvedre, 4% Syrah, and 4% Rolle (Vermentino). If you think the bottle itself is intriguing, what is inside is equally so. On the nose, I found intense aromas of red florals, hint of juicy pears, raspberries, and the white flesh of strawberries. Fresh with bright acidity, this juicy, creamy, balanced wine offered much of the same notes on the palate as on the nose. The lingering finish with just-right salinity was magnificent with a fresh tomato, basil, and burrata salad. Wow!
Aix Rosé 2025 – Ahhhhh! From Coteaux d’Aix en Provence, this elegant rosé is of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 20% Cinsault. I craved its aromas of red roses, spice, watermelon, and fresh red fruit. The palate profile offered just what I love: mouthwatering acidity, elements of juicy red fruit, spice, florals, and minerality. With its depth, complexity, and lasting finish, this is a wine to pair with everything you need for the perfect French picnic under the stars.
Chateau de Nerthe Les Cassagnes Côtes du Rhône Rosé is from grapes cultivated in the Tavel region. 60% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, and 10% Syrah offered aromas of lush red fruit, raspberries, strawberries, and pomegranate with a snap of minerality. On the mouthwatering palate, vibrant acidity and lush berry notes with a spritz of pink grapefruit were complex and lush. The wine spent four months on fine lees in stainless steel tanks. A charcuterie board including savory tapenade, chilled ratatouille, and baguettes was a brilliant complement to this lovely wine.
What better wine to open for a special night than Chateau d’Aqueria Tavel 2025, a rosé that oozed depth and breadth with every sip. A blend of 50% Grenache, 10% Clairette, 5% Cinsault, 10% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, and 5% Bourboulenc, aromas were intense and complex. And that stunning color! After our group admired the ruby red hue in the glass, it was time to taste. Notes of spice, red berries, dash of pepper, and white fruit were lifted with precise acidity. Balanced with a lingering finish, the wine was a brilliant match for fish with vegetables and sauce, but it could also pair effectively with lamb curry, paella, Thai food, an array of regional cheeses and the palate of the heartiest of red wine drinkers!
Cheers! ~ Cindy
