Choosing red wine from Provence is never an easy thing. It all depends on the occasion, the dish it will accompany, or even the taste of the people who will taste it. Although red wine only represents 4% of wine production in Provence, it is nonetheless very high quality and varied. Here are some tips for choosing the right red wine from Provence .
Know how to taste a red wine from Provence
To appreciate all the qualities of a Provencal red wine, it is essential to know how to taste it. To do this, you must follow a few tasting steps which will reveal all the subtleties of the red wine.
Observe the wine in your glass
Appreciating a red wine begins with observing its appearance, in other words, its appearance and its color. The color of the red wine already allows us to give information on the quality and nature of the wine.
If the color of the wine does not really provide information on the quality, its intensity, its clarity and the brightness of the disc (ease of reflecting light) are good clues to knowing the quality of a wine .
The visual examination is also an opportunity to observe the viscosity of the wine . You can analyze it by swirling the red wine in your glass. You will then see if the wine is fluid, or on the contrary, thick and fatty. The thicker it is, the more alcohol and sugar it contains.
Red wines from Provence often have a purple color, with violet reflections which evolve, with age, towards a ruby color.
Smell the wine in your glass
The second step is to smell the red wine , for a detailed olfactory examination of the wine's nose. This is done in several steps:
- The first nose : smell the wine without turning it in the glass. If it is closed (no smell), it must be decanted;
- The second nose : swirl the wine in the glass and smell the different aromas released. A great red wine often has a complex nose, with many different aromas.
Red wine from Provence generally presents a bouquet which expresses aromas of red fruits, or vegetal notes (rosemary, bay leaf, tobacco, thyme).
Taste the red wine of Provence
Finally comes the tasting stage . You must then take the wine in your mouth and swirl it around to fully permeate all the taste buds and trigger the retro-olfaction. You will then be able to perceive the 5 flavors that a red wine can offer (sour, bitter, sweet, salty, umami) thanks to the receptors of the tongue, while the nose will be responsible for transmitting information about the aromas to you.
Provençal red wines can be both light and supple on the palate, as well as rustic. It is then a matter of choosing the bottle of red wine according to the dishes it will accompany.
The specificities of red wines from Provence
Provence is a French wine region that includes many vineyards with different denominations and appellations. We of course know theAOC Côtes de Provence or the AOC Bandol , but there are 7 others, and many other names as well.
The red wine of Provence then depends on its region of production, the grape variety, and the winemaking techniques used by the winemaker.
The color of Provence red wine is traditionally garnet, with mauve highlights. Its nose is complex, fine and distinguished, with notes of redcurrant, raspberry and strawberry, or black fruits (blackcurrant). We also find aromas of garrigue, spices, bay leaf and thyme, before finding, on the second nose, notes of leather or animal notes.
On the palate, red Provence wine can be light or powerful, with more or less robust tannins.
The red wines of Provence are often suitable for aging, up to 10 years, or even more.
Food and red wine pairings from Provence
To find the right balance between a red wine and the dish it accompanies, it is important that the wine enhances the dish, without erasing its taste. So, even if the appreciation of a red wine depends on individual tastes (tolerance for sweet, acid, hot, bitter, etc.), certain food and red wine pairings are safe values:
- Le Pigeonnier du Château Saint-Roux – AOP Côtes de Provence – red 2016: with a characterful cheese, such as Rocamadour or Salers, or cooked meat (stew, stew, etc.);
- La Grande Cuvée du Château de Berne – AOC Côtes de Provence – red 2019: with grilled herbs, a truffled Brillat-Savarin…;
- Les Terres de Berne from Château de Berne – AOP Côtes de Provence – red 2017: as an aperitif, with Mediterranean cuisine or with exotic Asian dishes;
- Le Château des Bertrands – AOP Côtes de Provence – red 2019: with beef carpaccio, beef fillet or Korean barbecue;
- Ultimate Provence – AOC Côtes de Provence – red 2019: with Parma ham or grilled prime rib.
Vintages of red wines from Provence
To ensure you choose a quality red wine from Provence, it is interesting to look at the great vintages: 1986, 1990, 2004, 2005 and 2010.
Other years, less exceptional but still very qualitative, guarantee you quality Provençal red wines : 1982, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2011 and 2012.
Red Côtes de Provence from our estates
If you wish to taste the typicality of the Provençal terroir and discover the know-how of Provence winegrowers, the MDCV group offers you a selection of its greatest red wines from Provence , produced on its 4 estates: Ultimate Provence, Domaine de Berne, Château des Bertrands and Château Saint-Roux.
- Le Pigeonnier – domaine de Saint-Roux – AOC Côtes de Provence: a crimson color, a nose open to red fruits and a round and harmonious mouth;
- La Grande Cuvée – Domaine de Berne – AOP Côtes de Provence: a garnet color, an expressive nose with notes of black fruits and a fresh and light palate, with aromas of black fruits;
- Terres de Berne – domaine de Berne – AOC Côtes de Provence: a deep color, a nose of spices and black fruits and a round and supple mouth with fruity aromas;
- Château des Bertrands – AOP Côtes de Provence: an intense purple color, a bouquet full of character (red fruits, oriental spices, liquorice and pepper) and a structured, aromatic and elegant palate;
- Ultimate Provence – AOC Côtes de Provence: a crimson color, a generous nose of red fruits and a fruity and spicy palate (ripe red fruits and pepper).
You now know how to choose a red wine from Provence . To learn more and benefit from professional advice, do not hesitate to visit our estates for a tasting of Provençal red wine .
