Rosé all year with Côtes de Provence

I was born in the south of France, and after moving to Canada, I went back every summer to spend time with my family in Provence. Looking back on those visits conjures up the scent of pine trees and the feel of the salty Mediterranean breeze on my skin while fishing with my grandmother, not to mention visions of tables laid out with a panoply of delectable dishes and multiple bottles of wine. Given my past, it’s no wonder I became a wine lover, with rosé as my all-time go-to.

We have been sailing in the Eastern Caribbean since November. After a month and a half in Grenada, I was super excited to sail to St. Martin, back to a French island! It is very exciting for me to be back on an island that appreciates wine. This is not the case in many of the islands that we travel to, which explains why it’s been so quiet on the blog over the past few months. After this hiatus, I was thrilled to finally be able to participate in a Winophiles conversation.

The French Winophiles are a group of wine writers who gather monthly to discuss different wine regions in France. To start off 2022 on the right foot, we’re talking about one of my favourite places in the world: Provence. If you’re interested in joining the conversation on the wines of Provence today, read on for all the details.

Rosés of Provence

When you think of Provence and wine, thoughts tend to turn to rosé. It’s been made in these parts ever since the Ancient Greeks were in the area, and later the Romans. In modern times, on a hot summer’s day, locals in Provence will sip on chilled rosé with lunch or as an apéritif, whether on its own or with food. It’s definitely my go-to on the French islands as well, probably a throwback to those childhood summers in Provence, when all the adults sipped on chilled local rosé to beat the heat of the afternoons.

Rosé is an integral part of the Provençal way of life, so it’s no surprise that rosé makes up a whopping 89% of production in Provence, and 80% in the specific appellation we’re travelling to today (with our palates, that is): Côtes de Provence.

Here on Wining with Mel, we’ve explored several Provençal appellations, including Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence and the smallest Provence AOC"controlled designation of origin" — a certification granted to certain French wines (as well as other agricultural products) to indicate their place of origin, quality, style, as well as adherence... More, Palette. Today we’ll be tasting a rosé from the largest one in the area: Côtes de Provence AOC"controlled designation of origin" — a certification granted to certain French wines (as well as other agricultural products) to indicate their place of origin, quality, style, as well as adherence... More.

Côtes de Provence AOC

The Côtes de Provence area covers 19,330 hectares and produces 75% of Provençal wines. It’s a great place to make wine, with sunshine all year long and cool breezes sweeping off the Mediterranean to keep vines mold- and disease-free. As you can imagine, it’s also a stunning place to visit.

Mas de Pampelonne, Côtes de Provence

Making rosé since 1886, Mas de Pampelonne is a family-run winery located right by the Pampelonne beach, near the famous town of St. Tropez. It boasts warm temperatures all year long and excellent sun exposure for maximum ripening. Soils are sandy, with excellent drainage (grape vines love that).

And for the word nerds like me, the term “mas” is the Provençal word for a traditional farmhouse.

Mas de Pampelonne Rosé 2020

Tasting Note

🍇 This rosé is a blend of grenache, cinsault, and local grape tibouren. Grapes were hand harvested early in the morning to maintain freshness and fruity aromas. After harvest, grapes went to a direct press, meaning they were pressed off their skins immediately, giving the wine its pale colour.

👁️ Clear, pale salmon hue.

👃 Citrussy notes (lemon, grapefruit, tangerine), cranberry, peach, minerality.

👄This is a gorgeous rosé. Crisp, bright, mouth-watering acidityAcidity is an important part of a wine’s structure that prevents a wine from being “flabby”. It’s what gives you that tingling sensation on your tongue and makes you salivate.... More, yet unctuous on the tongue, bone dry, with lovely flavours of wild strawberry, peach, lemon and a whisper of Mediterranean salinity.

🍽️ This is the perfect sipping rosé to drink on its own — no matter what time of year — but if you’re hungry, try it with canapés/appetizers, fish dishes like the tuna tataki below, or goat cheese salad.

Where to buy: Sorry folks, this one doesn’t seem to be available in North America. I bought it at Super U for 10 euros. Dear Ontario wine agents, please remedy this.

As a result of the pandemic, I haven’t been able to travel back to France to see my family since 2019, but sipping on the Mas de Pamplonne Côtes de Provence rosé magically transports me there. It could be the dead of winter, and a glass of rosé will instantly warm and comfort me. But you don’t need a family history in France to drink Côtes de Provence all year long. Grab a bottle to taste the Med from the comfort of your own home.

French Winophiles in Provence

Join us on Twitter this morning at 11 a.m. ET as we chat about Provence. Just follow the hashtag #winophiles. If you missed it, not to worry — you can read everyone’s fabulous contributions using the links below!

• A Red Wine from Provence? Yes, meet Bandol; a New Old Wine paired with a Slow Cooked Goulash from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• The Art of Miraval in Provence and a Lovely Drunken Seafood Stew from Our Good Life
• Bandol – A Provençal Red for the Winter Table from Food Wine Click!
• Embrace Rosé de Garde, Age-Worthy Provençal Wine on L’Occasion
• Weekend Brunch Starts with Rosé from Coteaux d’Aix en Provence from Grape Experiences (Note, check out Cindy’s upcoming Southern Rhône cruise with AmaWaterways, which culminates in Provence.)
• A Provençal Wine for Winter: Domaine La Suffrene Rouge on Avvinare
• Pasta au Gratin + Ste. Venture Aix en Provence Rosé on Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• A Different Perspective from Provence: Chateau Vignelaure Coteaux D’Aix from Wine Predator… Gwendolyn Alley
• Rosé With Elizabeth Gabay and Château de Pibarnon from Savor the Harvest