Best wines in Provence: Let me take you on a journey. It is a journey from the COVID-19 era without flights, trains, suitcases or hotel rooms. And with travel banned, rather than a passport, you'll just need a glass of wine and a little imagination to cross borders.
The French speak of tipicity and terroir. By this, they mean that a well-made and carefully made wine should speak (even sing) of the region in which it was made. If you are one of the many to interrupt a canceled trip to Provence or to plan a future, go to your nearest wine merchant (online if you are not allowed to go out) and request one of the wines following.
They are among the best in Provence and include a bottle of red, nicknamed the Petrus de Provence and of course the most emblematic rosé in the region. Uncork the wine well in advance, select your best glass, find a comfortable chair, pour, lean back and relax. Take your time and breathe the sticky scents of garrigue, wild thyme and rosemary, pines oozing amber sap and the refreshing minerality of ferocious mistral. Taste the beating sun in ripe spicy summer fruits, with their notes of tobacco and comforting oak. Close your eyes after each sip and imagine yourself in Provence.
Domaine Tempier, Bandol, red
Bandol reds are among the most sought-after wines in Provence. The appellation's vines are planted in a sunny valley behind the bustling Mediterranean port of Bandol. The producers are numerous but the reference of the region remains the Domaine Tempier, which produces one of the best reds in Provence.
Bandol red ages and improves up to twenty years. Over time, the tannins gradually become rounder and wonderful smoky notes evolve. Les Bandols 2015 (the last exceptional vintage in Provence) is currently being drunk wonderfully. Domaine Tempier itself is an unpretentious place. An old farm is at the end of a line of plane trees. There is no pomp or ceremony, just a simple tasting room in an old annex. The visit is a wonderfully discreet affair, which allows the wine to speak. Lucky tasters will be offered the opportunity to taste a flight of Tempier reds dating back around 20 years.
Château Vignelaure, Aix en Provence, red
The castle claims to be the crown jewel of the Coteaux d'Aix en Provence. The famous American wine critic Robert Parker once said that the château was "one of the flagship properties not only of Provence, but also of France". All this noise comes from the uniqueness of the wine. In the 1960s, George Brunet grafted Cabernet Sauvignon vines which were used to produce the Bordeaux Château Lagune.
Much to the skepticism of the wine-growing establishment of the time, he planted outside Aix en Provence, with the stated aim of making a Bordeaux-style wine. The locals laughed pushing the pastis away and chatted about the owner's madness. They all agreed that the heat of the south of France would be too strong for the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, predicting an explosion of sugars and a very alcoholic undrinkable wine. But today, Château Vignelaure is the top of Provencal wines. They age 20 years like the beautiful Bordeaux and if you close your eyes while drinking, you can believe that you are on the banks of the Garonne. When trips reopen, be sure to visit the cellars that span 5 underground levels. In addition to thousands of bottles of wine, there is an art gallery.
Domaine du Paternel, Cassis, white
Look for a bottle of Domaine du Paternel and let your imagination take you to the sunny Mediterranean. In Cassis, pastel-colored houses line the port and the cafes are busy while the chefs prepare the local specialty - bouillabaisse fish soup. A crescent of hills holds the city in a sheltered embrace, and on the sunny slopes above the port, the vineyards produce the best whites of Provence. Wine is so popular that it often sells in late summer. Even sniffed Parisian restaurants will find room for white Cassis on their Wine List. A bottle of Domaine du Paternel, the emblematic vineyard of the appellation, goes perfectly with all seafood. With a buttery color, it offers a marvelous minerality which is rolled up in the mouth as you wish. The wine resists the salinity of oysters, just as it accompanies the milder flavors of a grilled sole.
Domaine Ott, Château Romassan, Bandol, rosé
Before the arrival of Whispering Angel, the Ott estate was the unmissable rosé of Provence. Slightly darker in color than the young usurper, it has a fuller flavor and better accompanies meals. Combine it with a barbecue or Thai cuisine to discover the wonderful depth and fruity notes of this remarkable Provencal rosé. It is made (mostly) with the Mourvèdre grape variety, which distinguishes the reds and rosés from Bandol. The wine arrives in a beautifully shaped bottle, tucked in at the waist like bottles of coca-cola, and with curves in all places. In the 90s, Kate Moss was topless, topless, sashaying along the beach in Saint Tropez with the distinctive bottle that came out of her bag. Sales of pale rosé have taken off and have not declined since.
Domaine Milan, Saint Rémy de Provence, Le Jardin, red
One for purists because Domaine Milan is a producer of natural wine. Not only are chemicals not used in the fields (this earns you the title of organic wine in France) but there are also no chemicals used in wine fermentation. It is old-style vinification and a horse plows the soil between the rows of vines. Nicknamed the Petrus of Provence, Le Jardin, shares the same terroir (blue clay) and the Merlot grape as Petrus, its most famous Bordeaux cousin. The wine is still selling and the owner Henri Milan makes it a rule to increase the price each year in order to match Petrus. An interesting marketing feature is that your personal price is locked for life when you buy your first bottle.
