Provence gains its first cru
Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire has become the first cru of Provence.
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Cru status will be applied to the rosé and red wines from the Sainte-Victoire sub area.
Until now, Sainte-Victoire has been one of five Dénominations Géographiques Complémentaires (DGC) – or additional geographic designations – attached to the Côtes de Provence appellation, granted in 2005.
Jean-Jacques Balikian, current director of the Sainte-Victoire winemakers association, said that the DCG had been a first step in progressing towards cru status.
The other four DCG are: La Londe, Fréjus, Pierrefeu and Notre-Dame des Anges.
See here for more info on these ‘micro-crus’ of Provence
Eric Pastorino, chairman of the Provence wine board (CIVP), is a strong supporter of these regional identities, and has worked hard over the past four years to obtain the cru status for Sainte-Victoire.
Although in theory this might be seen as just a change of name, producers are hopeful that promotion to cru status will allow for even greater recognition of the importance of terroir on Provence rosés, as well as recognition for the red wines of the region.
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Balikian acknowledges that it will mean greater diligence on ensuring the wines are of high quality, but does not anticipate higher prices, in fact it may justify the often higher prices for Provence wines.
Most producers have expressed confidence in the strength of the cru status to help them with sales.
Paul Alary, head of communication and marketing at Château Gassier, part of the Advini Group, felt it would make it easier to sell the wine as the term ‘cru’ is already understood in wine terminology and has a perceived premium value.
Sophie Sumeire Denante of Château Coussin is confident that the elevation in status will increase the perception of the wines of Sainte-Victoire as being of great quality.
Dorotheé Sarlat of Domaine La Grande Bauquière agreed, and feels that it will give a more positive and clear message to consumers compared to the more vague Dénominations Géographiques Complémentaires labelling term.
Situated in western Provence, Sainte-Victoire lies between the Coteaux d’Aix and Coteaux Varois areas.
Its vineyards, along the small Arc river valley, are dominated by the striking 18km-long, 1,011m-high limestone cliffs of Mont Sainte-Victoire.
The wines of Ste Victoire have long been noted for a distinctive freshness due to its soils, higher slopes, cold Mistral wind and protection from the Mediterranean heat by a range of mountains.
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Elizabeth Gabay MW has specialised in the wines of south-eastern France and Hungary since the 1980’s. Working as an independent wine merchant and consultant, she graduated as a Master of Wine in 1998 and moved to southeast France in 2002.
Her book, Rose: Understanding the pink wine revolution, was published in 2018 and she has continued to write about and judge rosé wines for Decanter.
Aside from Decanter, she has written for Drinks Business, Harpers, The Wine Merchant, VinCE and Nomacorc.
She is the lead instructor for the Provence immersion course run by the French Wine Society and she has judged at numerous Decanter World Wine Awards since 2007.