Rediscovering Provence: 18 top-quality reds and whites

With all eyes focused on rosés in Provence, it is easy to forget the more traditional reds and the increasingly popular whites. Despite representing under 10% of Provence wine production, red and white wines are still popular among winemakers and are often consumed by locals rather than exported – even if the market for big, hearty reds in France is slowly drying up. Proof of this enthusiasm came in over 400 wines submitted to this tasting.

For the first time ever, in 2022 white Côtes de Provence production (44,000hl) exceeded that of red (40,000hl), and an ever-increasing proportion of red grapes are being snapped up by rosé production. The changes in technology and marketing that have propelled the region’s rosés to world fame have started to spill over to the whites as well, leading to a shortage of white grapes, which are also readily snapped up for the rosés.

Most of the reds and whites are made by small, family-owned estates, contrasting with the big players who almost exclusively produce rosé. Reds and whites are also more common in the region’s secondary APs and IGPs, such as APs Cassis (mostly white) and Les-Baux de-Provence, and IGPs Méditerranée and Var.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 18 top reds and whites of Provence

Changing styles

The past 100 years have seen a constant evolution in the style of Provence’s wines. There used to be a considerable volume of sweet wines produced, made with late-harvest or raisined grapes. There also used to be a large range of local varieties, which have now all but died out.

Since the early 1980s, the growth in tourism and better transport links has opened up the Provençal interior, leading to the steady rise of rosé and the near-extinction of big, hearty, Carignan-based reds which were once the mainstay of the south.

Provence whites

Rolle (no longer allowed to be labelled as Vermentino) was once the exclusive preserve of Bellet, a small appellation to the north of Nice, which became French in 1860. Provence producers in the 1970s noticed the variety’s potential and started to plant it in Provence. Today, Rolle is the ubiquitous variety of most white wines here. The majority are made in a crisp and fresh style, very much in the same vein as their pink cousins, perfect for drinking during the hot summers.

However, there are also more serious, complex and often oak-aged whites being produced. Alcohol levels range between 12% for the lighter style, up to 14.5% for the weightier iterations. Expect notes of lime, white florals, beeswax, and subtle Riesling-like kerosene notes with age.

Although Rolle attracts the most attention and the majority of new plantings, there still exist a number of traditional varieties. Clairette is found on the coast in particular, around Bandol and Cassis, along with Marsanne. Clairette is present in some of the region’s top whites, and although it can be watery and underwhelming when harvested underripe, is notable for its exuberant pineapple notes and high acidity when harvested later, especially at higher altitude.

Ugni Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc are still quite widespread, giving extra freshness and vibrancy. Semillon increasingly struggles with the hotter summers but can add a lovely richness to the blend, and is usually a grape variety to look out for.

Grenache Blanc and Roussanne are fairly common, especially further north in the Luberon and Coteaux d’Aix, and make excellent full-bodied whites. International varieties such as Chardonnay and Viognier are common in the region’s IGPs and in Vin de France bottlings.

Contrasting with coastal whites, those found on the limestone slopes of Sainte-Victoire, the higher plateau of Coteaux Varois and northern Coteaux d’Aix often have extra freshness.

Provence reds

Before the rosé boom, red wines were the most popular style, often given greater depth by bleeding off some juice which was then turned into rosé. Today, with rosé often made as an independent product, the red wines no longer rely on this extra concentration. Instead, Provence reds have moved away from full-bodied wines and tend to be more restrained, often with a minimalist minerality.

Just as light, fresh whites appeal to rosé drinkers, it comes as no surprise to see a greater number of lighter reds appearing. These are fresh, fruit-forward and usually unoaked, although volumes are still small and quality can be erratic. The trend towards lighter wines has led some producers to forget that Provence is a hot and dry climate where properly ripe grapes and high alcohol levels are unavoidable.

There is no clear geographic heartland for the reds, with coastal areas such as La Londe and Bandol producing relatively large volumes just as commonly as the inland parts of Coteaux d’Aix and the Luberon.

Grenache-dominated reds are relatively rare, with Grenache largely finding its home in rosé. Instead, almost half of the region’s top reds are made from Syrah-Cabernet blends, and most of the rest are majority Syrah. This style dates back to 1970, when Georges Brunet (then owner of Château La Lagune in the Haut-Médoc) created Château Vignelaure. Early vintages of its red were primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Syrah and Grenache. When the appellation Coteaux d’Aix was created in 1985, the amount of Cabernet in the blend steadily declined. Eloi Dürrbach, who made the wine at Château Vignelaure and then set up his own estate, Domaine de Trévallon, continued to make an equal blend of Cabernet and Syrah under the IGP Bouches-du-Rhône. This early Bordeaux inspiration remains important at Domaine de Trévallon, with a higher percentage of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc evident in the estate’s red and white wines.

While Provence-style rosés are fairly hard to define, the Syrah-Cabernet duo embodies modern Provence-style reds. The Syrah-based reds often have more than a passing stylistic nod to the northern Rhône, with notes of violets and fine minerality, rather than the more jammy style of many other southern Syrahs.

Bandol, famous for its Mourvèdre, stands out for its quality. Due to the variety’s reductive character, extended maceration is often required, allowing Mourvèdre’s characteristic leather and spice to shine. The appellation regulations demand a minimum of 18 months in oak – these are serious, ageworthy wines.

The oak question

The use of oak throughout Provence is controversial. While some producers choose small, toasty, new oak barriques, many prefer larger, 500-600-litre demi-muids and foudres for more fruit-forward flavours. A growing number of producers are also trialling concrete and amphorae, although experimentation is rare in what is otherwise a surprisingly traditional and conventional wine region.

Broad generalisations of ripe fruit and exuberance could be used to describe the reds and whites of Provence, but this tasting showed an enormous amount of diversity and creativity, demonstrating that it is a region producing quality red and whites worth exploring beyond the rosés.

Tasting notes and scores for 18 top reds and whites of Provence

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