Provence wine explained. The home of pale rosé, and much more.

Sun, sea and the mistral

Provence stretches nearly 200 kilometers along the Mediterranean, from Nice in the east to Arles in the west, between the sea and the Alps. It enjoys lots of sunshine, little rain, warm days and cool evenings. The famous mistral wind keeps the skies clear and the vineyards dry and healthy. Wild herbs such as rosemary, thyme, juniper and lavender grow everywhere. This scrubland is called garrigue, a word tasters often use for the herbal notes in southern French wines.

Wine has been made here since the ancient Greeks. Host Susie Barrie MW explains that many of the earliest red wines probably looked more like today's rosés, since long maceration and firm pressing were not common. Her co-host is Andreas Larsson, Best Sommelier of the World 2007.

The rosé appellations and grapes

Most Provence rosés are blends of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan, sometimes with the local Tibouren, which adds its own herbal scent. The classic style is pale pink, crisp and refreshing, with strawberry, red cherry, citrus and wild herbs.

Learn three names. Côtes de Provence is the largest appellation and biggest rosé producer, with many different terroirs. Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, around Aix, makes supple, floral rosé as well as reds and whites. Coteaux Varois en Provence, north of Toulon, sits higher at about 350 meters, so the grapes ripen more slowly and gain acidity and structure. Smaller appellations such as Palette, Bellet and Pierrevert are worth seeking out too. In a side-by-side tasting, Andreas compares a classic Provence rosé with a deeper Spanish rosé from Rioja.

Bandol and Cassis

Bandol, on the coast east of Marseille, is famous for red wine. The rules require at least 50% Mourvèdre, a late-ripening, powerful and spicy grape that only ripens reliably in a hot, sunny coastal climate. Grenache and Cinsault complete the blend. Bandol reds are dark, structured and long-lived, a natural match for game and dark meat.

The small fishing town of Cassis is known for white wine. After phylloxera, the appellation shifted from sweet Muscat to dry whites based on Marsanne and Clairette, with Ugni Blanc, Bourboulenc and others. The vines run down limestone slopes close to the sea, giving dry, full-bodied whites with flowers, honey, herbs and a hint of salt. And no, Cassis wine has nothing to do with crème de cassis, the blackcurrant liqueur, which is a specialty of Burgundy. Its sea-breeze freshness makes it a natural partner for fish and shellfish.

The experiment: four ways to make rosé

How does a red grape make a pink wine? In the experiment, Susie and Andreas show the main methods side by side: direct pressing, which gives the palest wines, maceration or skin contact, where time on the skins controls the color, and saignée, the bleeding off of juice from a red wine tank. You will also learn why blending red and white wine is banned for still rosé in Europe, and where it is allowed.

Food pairings and blind tastings

Andreas pairs By Ott, a classic Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault blend, with a seared tuna niçoise, and later a sea bass baked with fennel and orange alongside a Cassis white. As he puts it, with the right wine "the sauce is in the glass."

There are also two blind tastings, with Domaine Tempier and Clos Sainte Magdeleine in the line-up. Watch how the hosts reason through color, spice and texture. Andreas also recalls a blind tasting that changed his mind about whether rosé can be a serious, age-worthy wine. The episode helps you prepare for WSET Level 3.